| Titles | Abstract | Indexed Keywords | Author Keywords |
| OneHealth implications of infectious diseases of wild and managed bees | The OneHealth approach aims to further our understanding of the drivers of human, animal and environmental health, and, ultimately, to improve them by combining approaches and knowledge from medicine, biology and fields beyond. Wild and managed bees are essential pollinators of crops and wild flowers. Their health thus directly impacts on human and environmental health. At the same time, these bee species represent highly amenable and relevant model organisms for a OneHealth approach that aims to study fundamental epidemiological questions. In this review, we focus on how infectious diseases of wild and managed bees can be used as a OneHealth model system, informing fundamental questions on ecological immunology and disease transmission, while addressing how this knowledge can be used to tackle the issues facing pollinator health. © 2020 | Animals; Beekeeping; Bees; One Health; animal; apiculture; bee; microbiology; One Health; parasitology; virology | Bee; Disease transmission; OneHealth; Social immunity; Vector; Virulence |
| Risks from mercury in anadromous fish collected from Penobscot River, Maine | Levels of total mercury were measured in tissue of six species of migratory fish (alewife, American shad, blueback herring, rainbow smelt, striped bass, and sea lamprey), and in roe of American shad for two consecutive years collected from the Penobscot River or its estuary. The resultant mercury levels were compared to reference doses as established in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System and wildlife values. Mercury concentrations ranged from 4 μg/kg ww in roe to 1040 μg/kg ww in sea lamprey. Sea lamprey contained the highest amounts of mercury for both seasons of sampling. Current health advisories are set at sufficient levels to protect fishers from harmful consumption of the fish for mercury alone, except for sea lamprey. Based upon published wildlife values for mink, otter, and eagle, consumption of rainbow smelt, striped bass, or sea lamprey poses a risk to mink; striped bass and sea lamprey to otter; and sea lamprey to eagle. For future consideration, the resultant data may serve as a reference point for both human health and wildlife risk assessments for the consumption of anadromous fish. U.S. EPA works with federally recognized Tribes across the nation greatly impacted by restrictions on sustenance fishing, to develop culturally sensitive risk assessments. © 2021 | Animals; Environmental Monitoring; Estuaries; Fishes; Humans; Maine; Mercury; Rivers; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Maine; Penobscot River; United States; Alosa aestivalis; Alosa pseudoharengus; Alosa sapidissima; Martes; Morone; Osmerus; Petromyzon marinus; Environmental Protection Agency; Fish; Health risks; Mercury (metal); Risk assessment; mercury; mercury; American shads; Anadromous fishes; Consumption; Dose; Mercury; One health approach; Rainbow smelt; Sea lampreys; Striped bass; US Environmental Protection Agency; consumption behavior; dose-response relationship; environmental risk; fish; mercury (element); migratory species; pollution exposure; risk assessment; adult; anadromous fish; animal tissue; Article; eagle; fish consumption; health hazard; herring; human; migratory fish; Neovison vison; nonhuman; otter; Petromyzon; priority journal; risk assessment; river ecosystem; striped bass; tissue level; wildlife; animal; environmental monitoring; estuary; fish; Maine; river; water pollutant; Health | Anadromous fish; Consumption; Dose; Mercury; One Health approach |
| Rabies in a sand cat (Felis margarita) in saudi arabia: One health implications | We report a case of rabies in a sand cat, Felis margarita, from Saudi Arabia. This incident suggests hitherto undocumented spillover infection in this species. Our report highlights the shortcomings of passive reporting, necessity of wildlife surveillance, and the need for a comprehensive One Health approach to disease prevention and control. © Wildlife Disease Association 2021. | Animals; Felis; One Health; Rabies; Sand; Saudi Arabia; animal; cat; One Health; rabies; sand; Saudi Arabia; veterinary medicine |
| Knowledge, attitudes and practices on rabies among human and animal health professionals in senegal | Rabies is still a public health problem in Senegal. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on rabies among human and animal health professionals. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted in the Kaffrine district. Data were collected from 28 June to 01 July 2021. An exhaustive recruitment was done, and the final sample size was 95 health professionals. R software was used for descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses. Health professionals with sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes and good practices in relation to rabies represented 35.8%, 26.3% and 45.3% of the study respectively. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that professionals who worked in urban areas (AOR = 11.10; 95% CI = [3.50–41.69]) and who worked in animal health (AOR = 7.45; 95% CI = [1.16–70.40]) were more likely to have sufficient knowledge about rabies. Professionals with tertiary education (AOR = 12.40; CI95% = [1.80–268.00]) and with sufficient knowledge (AOR = 3.41; CI95% = [1.01–12.70]) were more likely to have a positive attitude about rabies. Professionals with a positive attitude about rabies (AOR = 3.23; 95% CI = [1.08–10.70]) were more likely to have a good practice when presented with an animal bite case. These results suggest that improving health professionals’ knowledge about rabies is essential in order to influence their attitudes and practices against rabies. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | adult; Article; bite; depression; disease surveillance; female; health care facility; health care personnel; human; knowledge; major clinical study; male; nursing assistant; pharmacist; post exposure prophylaxis; quality control; questionnaire; rabies; seroprevalence; vaccination; work environment | Animal health; Attitude; Human health; Knowledge; One health; Practice; Rabies; Senegal; Zoonosis |
| Fungal Contamination and Aflatoxin B1 Detected in Hay for Dairy Cows in South Italy | The growth of filamentous fungi on fodder is recognized as responsible for fungal deterioration and mycotoxin contamination of the plant mass leads to economic losses in the dairy cow production system. Mycotoxin contamination has significant implications for human and animal health and is one of the major concerns in the food and feed chain. This research provides an insight into the variety of viable molds (i.e., filamentous microfungi) that can be isolated from hay produced in South Italy and destined to dairy cows. On different lots of hay (n = 55) collected from 20 dairy farms, a total of 33 different fungal species were identified. The most representative was Cladosporium cladosporioides (n = 46, 84%) followed by Alternaria alternata (n = 25, 45%), and Rhizopus stolonifer (n = 24, 44%). The species most closely related to aflatoxin (AF) contamination, Aspergillus flavus, was often isolated (n = 11, 20%). Regarding AF detection, all the hay samples were found to be scarcely contaminated by AFB1 and showed values from 0.0020 to 0.0077 mg/kg, below the limits established by European Union (EU legislation) (0.02 mg/kg). None of the samples were positive for Aspergillia and tested for AFB1 showed results exceeding established limits. Additionally, hay with moisture between 15.0 and 19.2% or crude ash on dry matter content ranging from 14.0 to 15.5% reported an increased presence of AFB1 (p < 0.05) compared to the other samples. All the analyzed hay samples, besides the presence of molds, can be considered safe for the presence of AFB1. Prevention of mold spoilage is mandatory to reduce the exposure of humans and animals to mycotoxins. © Copyright © 2021 Ceniti, Costanzo, Spina, Rodolfi, Tilocca, Piras, Britti and Morittu. | aflatoxin B1; dairy; feed; food chain; food safety; molds; mycotoxins; one health |
| Molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of clinical and non-clinical Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus isolates from Egypt | Brucellosis is a highly contagious and incapacitating disease of humans, livestock and wildlife species globally. Treatment of brucellosis in animals is not recommended, and in humans, combinations of antibiotics recommended by the World Health Organization are used. However, sporadic antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) isolates and relapse cases have been reported from different endemic regions. In the current study, molecular characterization and antibiotic susceptibility testing using the microdilution method for 35 B. abortus and B. melitensis strains isolated from humans, milk and animal were carried out. Additionally, Next-Generation-Sequencing (NGS) technology was applied to confirm Brucella at the species level and investigate AMR and pathogenicity-associated determinants. MALDI-TOF seemed to be a rapid and reliable tool for routine identification of brucellae to the genus level; however, DNA-based identification is indispensable for accurate species identification. Brucella abortus strains were isolated from two human cases and a sheep. Such infections are uncommon in Egypt. Egyptian Brucella strains are still in-vitro susceptible to doxycycline, tetracyclines, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and tigecycline. Probable (no CLSI/EUCAST breakpoints have been defined yet) in-vitro resistance to rifampicin and azithromycin was observed. WGS failed to determine classical AMR genes, and no difference in the distribution of virulence-associated genes in all isolates was found. Isolates of human and non-human origins were still susceptible to the majority of antibiotics used for treatment in humans. The absence of classical AMR genes in genomes of “resistant” Brucella strains may reflect a lack of information in databases, or resistance might not be encoded by single resistance genes. The One Health approach is necessary for tackling brucellosis. Continuous susceptibility testing, updating of breakpoints, assessing mutations that lead to resistance are needed. © 2021 The Author(s) | antibiotic agent; azithromycin; bacterial DNA; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; cotrimoxazole; doxycycline; gentamicin; levofloxacin; rifampicin; streptomycin; tetracycline; tigecycline; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial genome; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; broth dilution; Brucella abortus; Brucella melitensis; controlled study; Egypt; female; gene; high throughput sequencing; human; in vitro study; male; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; milk; nonhuman; One Health; sheep | Antimicrobial susceptibility; Brucella abortus; Brucella melitensis; MALDI-TOF; WGS, Egypt |
| Global molecular diversity of Hepatitis E virus in wild boar and domestic pig | Our study aim was to describe and characterize the global Hepatitis E virus (HEV) molecular and genotype geographical distribution in domestic pig and wild boar, which could facilitate the traceability of human cases. We performed a systematic sequence search for HEVs identified in domestic pig and wild boar from the available data in GenBank. Only sequences with lengths greater than 300 nt were included. For all sequences, the sequence length, host (i.e., domestic pig or wild boar), country of origin, and HEV genotype/subtype were recorded. Genotypes were assigned by the HEVnet typing tool. The genotype distributions were described by country and host. In countries with sequences available for both species, the genotype coincidences between both animal populations were analyzed. A total of 1404 viral sequences were included: 32.6% from wild boar and 67.4% from domestic pig. Most sequences were consistent with HEV genotype 3 (n = 1165). Genotype 4 was represented by 193 sequences, while genotypes 5 and 6 were represented by only 6 sequences. Sequences were identified in 39 countries, which included all continents except Antarctica. The genotypes with a wide distribution were 3a and 3f. Twenty-five countries had sequences that were found only in domestic pig, three countries only in wild boar, and 11 countries had sequences in both populations. In all countries with available sequences in both populations, the same viral genotype was identified. Our study shows that the number of swine HEV sequences is small, which limits direct comparisons with the sequences identified in humans. The global distribution of genotype 3, together with the wide distribution of genotype 4 in Asia, strongly limits the interpretation of the molecular analysis in the absence of an epidemiological survey of the cases. Increased HEV sequencing in swine should be a priority. © 2021 The Author(s) | animal experiment; Antarctica; article; Asia; controlled study; domestic pig; GenBank; gene frequency; genotype; geographic distribution; Hepatitis E virus; nonhuman; prevalence | Genotype; Hepatitis E virus; One health; Pig; Prevalence; Wild boar |
| A one health approach to compare self-prescribed antibiotic use across rural and semi-urban populations in San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala | Antimicrobial resistance resulting from antibiotic overuse represents an increasing public health challenge. The purpose of this study was to investigate antibiotic self-medication practices in a rural, indigenous Guatemalan population, and to compare self-prescribing patterns in rural and semi-urban populations using a One Health integrated approach, a framework acknowledging that health arises at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment. We conducted a mixed methods study using semi-structured interviews in and around San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala. Antibiotic self-medication was common in both rural and semi-urban populations, regardless of demographic characteristics. Antibiotic usage in animals, while less common, almost always occurred without a veterinary consult. Although subjects recognized that self-medication could be harmful to health, they face significant barriers to accessing appropriate care. These patterns of use have impacts on the rise of antimicrobial resistance locally, and have the potential to contribute to the spread of such resistance globally. © 2021, Johns Hopkins University Press. All rights reserved. | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Guatemala; Humans; One Health; Rural Population; Urban Population; antiinfective agent; Guatemala; human; One Health; rural population; urban population |
| Crustaceans, One Health and the changing ocean | Crustaceans permeate every habitat on Earth but are especially impactful in the marine environment. They can be small and extremely abundant like the ubiquitous marine copepods found throughout the world’s oceans, or large and highly prized by fishermen like spiny lobsters found in tropical and temperate seas, globally. The latter are among the decapod crustaceans, a group which includes crabs, shrimps, and lobsters – those targeted most commonly by fishery and aquaculture industries. Hence, crustaceans are ecologically important, but they are also directly linked to the economic and nutritional health of human populations. To most effectively manage and conserve crustacean populations in the face of a changing ocean environment, whether they are harvested or not, requires a One Health approach that underscores the linkages between crustacean, human, and environmental health. Here, we give an overview of the need, benefits, and challenges to taking the One Health approach to crustacean health and argue that when viewed through the One Health lens, there is perhaps no other group of marine animals more worthy of that perspective. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. | Animals; Aquaculture; Climate Change; Crustacea; Oceans and Seas; One Health; animal; aquaculture; climate change; Crustacea; One Health; physiology; sea | Aquaculture; Climate; Disease; Fishery; Human; Parasite; Pathogen |
| Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella from poultry meat in Brazil: results of a nationwide survey | The use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals can lead to increased bacterial resistance. Important information to address this problem can be provided by monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in foodborne pathogens. As part of preliminary activities for the implementation of AMR surveillance in Brazil, a nationwide survey on AMR in Salmonella enterica isolates from poultry meat was conducted. The survey evaluated 146 Salmonella isolates from poultry meat in 2014, and 163 isolates obtained in 2017. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of 13 antimicrobials were determined by broth microdilution, and isolates were assigned to serotypes by automated ribotyping. High resistance rates were found in 2014 and 2017, in particular to nalidixic acid (84/146, 57.5% and 141/163, 86.5%, respectively), ampicillin (82/146, 56.2% and 125/163, 76.7%), cefotaxime (76/146, 52.1% and 124/163, 76.1%), ceftazidime (73/146, 50.0% and 124/163, 76.1%), ciprofloxacin (83/146, 56.9% and 145/163, 89.0%) and tetracycline (88/146, 60.3% and 135/163, 82.8%). There was a significant increase in resistance to these antibiotics in the second survey period. Salmonella ser. Heidelberg and Salmonella ser. Minnesota were the main serotypes expressing resistance to these antimicrobials. Multidrug resistance was found in 50.7% (74/146) of the isolates from 2014, and in 77.3% (126/163) of isolates from 2017 (P < 0.05). None of the isolates was resistant to azithromycin or meropenem. These findings indicate high and increasing rates of resistance among Salmonella from poultry meat in Brazil, mainly associated with Salmonella ser. Heidelberg and Salmonella ser. Minnesota, stressing the importance of continuous monitoring of AMR in the poultry chain. Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press. | ampicillin; antibiotic agent; azithromycin; cefotaxime; ceftazidime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colistin; cotrimoxazole; gentamicin; meropenem; nalidixic acid; tetracycline; tigecycline; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial strain; bacterium isolate; Brazil; broth dilution; controlled study; health survey; minimum inhibitory concentration; nonhuman; poultry meat; ribotyping; Salmonella enterica; serotype | Heidelberg; Minnesota; multidrug resistance; One Health; poultry meat; Salmonella |
| Prioritizing zoonotic diseases utilizing the One Health approach: Jordan’s experience | Background: Zoonotic diseases constitute a threat to humans and animals. The Middle East Region is a hotspot for such a threat; given its geographic location under migratory birds’ flight paths, mass gatherings, political conflicts, and refugee crises. Thus, prioritizing zoonotic diseases of national significance is critical for preventing and controlling such threats and optimizing limited resources. Using a multi-sectoral One Health (OH) approach, this study aimed at prioritizing zoonotic diseases of national significance to Jordan and identifying future recommendations and action plans. Methods: Zoonotic diseases of national significance to Jordan were initially identified (n = 27 diseases). In December 2019, national staff from governmental and non-state sectors were invited to develop ranking criteria, including questions and answers choices, and to weigh each criterion. Then, the national staff were asked to assess zoonotic diseases’ priority using the developed criteria and provide recommendations and action plans to strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration. Results: Seven zoonotic diseases were identified as being of great significance. Rabies was ranked as the number one priority disease, followed by middle east respiratory syndrome, avian influenza, brucellosis, leishmaniasis, rickettsiosis, and salmonellosis. The highest weighted criteria used to rank diseases were disease severity, outbreaks profile, and potential human-to-human transmission. Establishing a one-health platform, surveillance, laboratory, preparedness planning, outbreak response, and workforce were suggested as recommendations for approaching the priority diseases. Respondents identified data sharing, coordination, event-based surveillance, and effective communication channels as vital areas to enhance prevention and control strategies, conduct joint outbreak investigations, and improve multi-sectoral collaboration. Conclusions: This study represents the first attempt to prioritize zoonotic diseases of national significance in Jordan using the OH approach and a semi-qualitative, transparent, and comparative method. Study results can be used as a decision-making guide for policymakers and stakeholders and a cornerstone for combating zoonotic disease threats. © 2021 | anthrax; Article; avian influenza; botulism; brucellosis; contagious ecthyma; data processing; dengue; dermatophytosis; disease severity; disease surveillance; echinococcosis; emergency health service; epidemic; Escherichia coli infection; glanders; health care planning; health care utilization; horizontal disease transmission; human; interpersonal communication; Jordan; laboratory test; leishmaniasis; leptospirosis; malaria; Middle East respiratory syndrome; One Health; piroplasmosis; plague; public-private partnership; Q fever; rabies; rickettsiosis; Rift Valley fever; salmonellosis; sarcoptic mange; shigellosis; tick borne relapsing fever; toxoplasmosis; tuberculosis; West Nile fever; workforce; zoonosis | Human-animal interface; Jordan; One health; Prioritization; Zoonotic diseases |
| Waves of attention: Patterns and themes of international antimicrobial resistance reports, 1945-2020 | This article uses quantitative and qualitative approaches to review 75 years of international policy reports on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Our review of 248 policy reports and expert consultation revealed waves of political attention and repeated reframings of AMR as a policy object. AMR emerged as an object of international policy-making during the 1990s. Until then, AMR was primarily defined as a challenge of human and agricultural domains within the Global North that could be overcome via € rational’ drug use and selective restrictions. While a growing number of reports jointly addressed human and agricultural AMR selection, international organisations (IOs) initially focused on whistleblowing and reviewing data. Since 2000, there has been a marked shift in the ecological and geographic focus of AMR risk scenarios. The Global South and One Health (OH) emerged as foci of AMR reports. Using the deterritorialised language of OH to frame AMR as a Southern risk made global stewardship meaningful to donors and legitimised pressure on low-income and middle-income countries to adopt Northern stewardship and surveillance frameworks. It also enabled IOs to move from whistleblowing to managing governance frameworks for antibiotic stewardship. Although the environmental OH domain remains neglected, realisation of the complexity of necessary interventions has increased the range of topics targeted by international action plans. Investment nonetheless continues to focus on biomedical innovation and tends to leave aside broader socioeconomic issues. Better knowledge of how AMR framings have evolved is key to broadening participation in international stewardship going forward. © | antibiotic agent; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; global health; health care policy; human; international organization; One Health; priority journal; publication; whistleblowing | diseases; disorders; health policies and all other topics; infections; injuries; public Health |
| Imported Hyalomma ticks in the Netherlands 2018–2020 | Background: Ticks of the genus Hyalomma, which are vectors for several tick-borne diseases, are occasionally found in areas outside their endemic range including northern parts of Europe. The objective of this study was to analyse adult Hyalomma ticks that were recently found in the Netherlands. Methods: Hyalomma ticks were morphologically identified. Cluster analysis, based upon sequence data (cox1 barcoding) for molecular identification, and pathogen detection were performed. Additionally, a cross-sectional survey of horses was conducted to actively search for Hyalomma ticks in summer 2019. Analysis of temperature was done to assess the possibility of (i) introduced engorged nymphs moulting to adults and (ii) establishment of populations in the Netherlands. Results: Seventeen adult Hyalomma ticks (one in 2018, eleven in 2019, five in 2020) were found by citizens and reported. Fifteen ticks were detected on horses and two on humans. Twelve were identified as H. marginatum, one as H. rufipes and four, of which only photographic images were available, as Hyalomma sp. No Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus or Babesia/Theileria parasites were detected. One adult tick tested positive for Rickettsia aeschlimannii. In the cross-sectional horse survey, no Hyalomma ticks were found. Analysis of temperatures showed that engorged nymphs arriving on migratory birds in spring were able to moult to adults in 2019 and 2020, and that cumulative daily temperatures in the Netherlands were lower than in areas with established H. marginatum populations. Conclusions: Our results show that Hyalomma ticks are regularly introduced in the Netherlands as nymphs. Under the Dutch weather conditions, these nymphs are able to develop to the adult stage, which can be sighted by vigilant citizens. Only one human pathogen, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, was found in one of the ticks. The risk of introduction of tick-borne diseases via Hyalomma ticks on migratory birds is considered to be low. Establishment of permanent Hyalomma populations is considered unlikely under the current Dutch climatic conditions.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2021, The Author(s). | Animal Migration; Animals; Bird Diseases; Birds; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Horse Diseases; Horses; Humans; Ixodidae; Male; Netherlands; Phylogeny; Tick Infestations; cyclooxygenase 1; adult; Article; cluster analysis; controlled study; cox1 gene; cross-sectional study; female; gene sequence; Hyalomma marginatum; Hyalomma rufipes; male; molting; Netherlands; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; Rickettsia aeschlimannii; species identification; temperature; animal; bird; bird disease; classification; genetics; horse; horse disease; human; Ixodidae; parasitology; phylogeny; population migration; tick infestation; veterinary medicine | Citizen science; Cluster analysis; One Health; Surveillance; Vector-borne disease; Viral haemorrhagic fever |
| Prospective One Health genetic surveillance in Vietnam identifies distinct blaCTX-M-harbouring Escherichia coli in food-chain and human-derived samples | Objectives: We performed a One Health surveillance in Hanoi—a region with a high-density human population and livestock production, and a recognized hotspot of animal-associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—to study the contribution of blaCTX-M-carrying Escherichia coli and plasmids from food-animal sources in causing human community-acquired urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs). Methods: During 2014–2015, 9090 samples were collected from CA-UTI patients (urine, n = 8564), pigs/chickens from farms and slaughterhouses (faeces, carcasses, n = 448), and from the slaughterhouse environment (surface swabs, water, n = 78). E. coli was identified in 2084 samples. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was confirmed in 235 and blaCTX-M in 198 strains by PCR with short-read plasmid sequencing. Fourteen strains were long-read sequenced to enable plasmid reconstruction. Results: The majority of the ESBL-producing E. coli strains harboured blaCTX-M (n = 198/235, 84%). High clonal diversity (48 sequence types, STs) and distinct, dominant STs in human sources (ST1193, n = 38/137; ST131, n = 30/137) and non-human sources (ST155, n = 25/61) indicated lack of clonal transmission between habitats. Eight blaCTX-M variants were identified; five were present in at least two sample sources. Human and food-animal strains did not show similar plasmids carrying shared blaCTX-M genes. However, IS6 elements flanking ISEcp1–blaCTX-M–orf477/IS903B structures were common across habitats. Conclusions: In this study, animal-associated blaCTX-M E. coli strains or blaCTX-M plasmids were not direct sources of CA-UTIs or ESBL resistance in humans, respectively, suggesting evolutionary bottlenecks to their adaptation to a new host species. Presence of common IS6 elements flanking blaCTX-M variants in different plasmid backbones, however, highlighted the potential of these transposable elements for AMR transmission either within or across habitats. © 2021 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; beta-Lactamases; Chickens; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Food Chain; Food Contamination; Food Microbiology; Humans; One Health; Plasmids; Prospective Studies; Swine; Urinary Tract Infections; Vietnam; beta lactamase CTX M; antiinfective agent; beta lactamase; adult; agricultural land; animal experiment; animal food; animal model; animal tissue; antibiotic resistance; Article; bacterial strain; bacterial transmission; carcass; chicken; community acquired infection; controlled study; Escherichia coli infection; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Escherichia coli; feces; food chain; gene structure; genetic similarity; genome analysis; human; mobile genetic element; molecular epidemiology; nonhuman; One Health; pig; plasmid; polymerase chain reaction; promoter region; slaughterhouse; urinary tract infection; whole genome sequencing; animal; Escherichia coli; food chain; food contamination; food control; genetics; prospective study; veterinary medicine; Viet Nam | bla<sub>CTX-M</sub>; Escherichia coli; Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases; Horizontal gene transmission; Molecular epidemiology; One Health; Vietnam |
| Monitoring the patterns of submission and presence of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes scapularis collected from humans and companion animals in Ontario, Canada (2011–2017) | Background: The universal nature of the human–companion animal relationship and their shared ticks and tick-borne pathogens offers an opportunity for improving public and veterinary health surveillance. With this in mind, we describe the spatiotemporal trends for blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) submissions from humans and companion animals in Ontario, along with pathogen prevalence. Methods: We tested tick samples submitted through passive surveillance (2011–2017) from humans and companion animals for Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti. We describe pathogen prevalence in ticks from humans and from companion animals and constructed univariable Poisson and negative binomial regression models to explore the spatiotemporal relationship between the rates of tick submissions by host type. Results: During the study, there were 17,230 blacklegged tick samples submitted from humans and 4375 from companion animals. Tick submission rates from companion animals were higher than expected in several public health units (PHUs) lacking established tick populations, potentially indicating newly emerging populations. Pathogen prevalence in ticks was higher in PHUs where established blacklegged tick populations exist. Borrelia burgdorferi prevalence was higher in ticks collected from humans (maximum likelihood estimate, MLE = 17.5%; 95% confidence interval, CI 16.97–18.09%) than from companion animals (9.9%, 95% CI 9.15–10.78%). There was no difference in pathogen prevalence in ticks by host type for the remaining pathogens, which were found in less than 1% of tested ticks. The most common co-infection B. burgdorferi + B. miyamotoi occurred in 0.11% of blacklegged ticks from humans and animals combined. Borrelia burgdorferi prevalence was higher in unengorged (21.9%, 95% CI 21.12–22.65%) than engorged ticks (10.0%, 95% CI 9.45–10.56%). There were no consistent and significant spatiotemporal relationships detected via regression models between the annual rates of submission of each host type. Conclusions: While B. burgdorferi has been present in blacklegged ticks in Ontario for several decades, other tick-borne pathogens are also present at low prevalence. Blacklegged tick and pathogen surveillance data can be used to monitor risk in human and companion animal populations, and efforts are under consideration to unite surveillance efforts for the different target populations. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2021, The Author(s). | Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Animals; Babesia microti; Borrelia; Borrelia burgdorferi; Coinfection; Female; Humans; Ixodes; Male; Ontario; Pets; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; Anaplasma phagocytophilum; animal; Babesia microti; Borrelia; Borrelia burgdorferi; coinfection; female; human; isolation and purification; Ixodes; male; microbiology; Ontario; parasitology; pathogenicity; pet animal; spatiotemporal analysis | Anaplasma; Babesia; Borrelia; One Health; Surveillance; Veterinary health; Zoonotic |
| Reservoir dynamics of rabies in south-east Tanzania and the roles of cross-species transmission and domestic dog vaccination | Understanding the role of different species in the transmission of multi-host pathogens, such as rabies virus, is vital for effective control strategies. Across most of sub-Saharan Africa domestic dogs Canis familiaris are considered the reservoir for rabies, but the role of wildlife has been long debated. Here we explore the multi-host transmission dynamics of rabies across south-east Tanzania. Between January 2011 and July 2019, data on probable rabies cases were collected in the regions of Lindi and Mtwara. Hospital records of animal-bite patients presenting to healthcare facilities were used as sentinels for animal contact tracing. The timing, location and species of probable rabid animals were used to reconstruct transmission trees to infer who infected whom and the relative frequencies of within- and between-species transmission. During the study, 688 probable human rabies exposures were identified, resulting in 47 deaths. Of these exposures, 389 were from domestic dogs (56.5%) and 262 from jackals (38.1%). Over the same period, 549 probable animal rabies cases were traced: 303 in domestic dogs (55.2%) and 221 in jackals (40.3%), with the remainder in domestic cats and other wildlife species. Although dog-to-dog transmission was most commonly inferred (40.5% of transmission events), a third of inferred events involved wildlife-to-wildlife transmission (32.6%), and evidence suggested some sustained transmission chains within jackal populations. A steady decline in probable rabies cases in both humans and animals coincided with the implementation of widespread domestic dog vaccination during the first 6 years of the study. Following the lapse of this program, dog rabies cases began to increase in one of the northernmost districts. Synthesis and applications. In south-east Tanzania, despite a relatively high incidence of rabies in wildlife and evidence of wildlife-to-wildlife transmission, domestic dogs remain essential to the reservoir of infection. Continued dog vaccination alongside improved surveillance would allow a fuller understanding of the role of wildlife in maintaining transmission in this area. Nonetheless, dog vaccination clearly suppressed rabies in both domestic dog and wildlife populations, reducing both public health and conservation risks and, if sustained, has potential to eliminate rabies from this region. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society | Africa; Lindi; Mtwara; Tanzania; Canidae; Canis familiaris; Lyssavirus; Rabies virus; conservation; health care; public health; rabies; reservoir; vaccination | dog-mediated rabies; lyssavirus; One Health; spillover; surveillance; vaccination; zero by thirty; zoonoses |
| Marine invertebrate interactions with Harmful Algal Blooms – Implications for One Health | Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are natural atypical proliferations of micro or macro algae in either marine or freshwater environments which have significant impacts on human, animal and ecosystem health. The causative HAB organisms are primarily dinoflagellates and diatoms in marine and cyanobacteria within freshwater ecosystems. Several hundred species of HABs, most commonly marine dinoflagellates affect animal and ecosystem health either directly through physical, chemical or biological impacts on surrounding organisms or indirectly through production of algal toxins which transfer through lower-level trophic organisms to higher level predators. Traditionally, a major focus of HABs has concerned their natural production of toxins which bioaccumulate in filter-feeding invertebrates, which with subsequent trophic transfer and biomagnification cause issues throughout the food web, including the human health of seafood consumers. Whilst in many regions of the world, regulations, monitoring and risk management strategies help mitigate against the impacts from HAB/invertebrate toxins upon human health, there is ever-expanding evidence describing enormous impacts upon invertebrate health, as well as the health of higher trophic level organisms and marine ecosystems. This paper provides an overview of HABs and their relationships with aquatic invertebrates, together with a review of their combined impacts on animal, human and ecosystem health. With HAB/invertebrate outbreaks expected in some regions at higher frequency and intensity in the coming decades, we discuss the needs for new science, multi-disciplinary assessment and communication which will be essential for ensuring a continued increasing supply of aquaculture foodstuffs for further generations. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. | Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Cyanobacteria; Diatoms; Dinoflagellida; Ecosystem; Harmful Algal Bloom; Invertebrates; One Health; algal bloom; animal; aquatic species; cyanobacterium; diatom; dinoflagellate; ecosystem; invertebrate; One Health; physiology | Harmful algal blooms (HABs); Invertebrates; One Health; Phycotoxins; Risk management; Seafood poisoning |
| Abundance of Mobilized Colistin Resistance Gene (mcr-1) in Commensal Escherichia coli from Diverse Sources | Aims: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spreads not only by pathogenic but also by commensal bacteria, and the latter can become a reservoir for resistance genes. This study was aimed to investigate the AMR patterns along with the presence of mobilized colistin resistance (mcr) genes in commensal Escherichia coli circulating in chickens, farm environments, street foods, and human patients. Materials and Methods: By a cross-sectional survey, isolates obtained from 530 samples were tested for their AMR profiles against 9 antimicrobials. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the phenotypically colistin-resistant isolates was determined and screened for a set of mcr genes followed by sequencing of mcr-1 gene in the multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates. Results: A total of 313 E. coli strains were isolated and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that about 98% (confidence interval [95% CI] 95-99) of the isolates were MDR, and 58% (95% CI 52-63) isolates exhibited resistance to colistin. MIC values of colistin against the isolates ranged from 4 to 64 mg/L. Except for human patients, 20.4% colistin-resistant isolates from other sources of isolation had mcr-1 gene. Conclusions: There is abundance of commensal MDR E. coli strains with the acquisition of mcr-1 gene circulating in chickens and farm environments in Bangladesh. © Copyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2021. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chickens; Colistin; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Proteins; Farms; Food Microbiology; Genes, Bacterial; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; ampicillin; ceftriaxone; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colistin; cotrimoxazole; enrofloxacin; gentamicin; tetracycline; antiinfective agent; colistin; Escherichia coli protein; MCR-1 protein, E coli; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial strain; bacterium isolate; chicken; colistin resistance; commensal Escherichia coli; controlled study; farm animal; food; gene sequence; human; minimum inhibitory concentration; mobilized colistin resistance 1 gene; multidrug resistant Escherichia coli; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; phenotype; polymerase chain reaction; agricultural land; animal; bacterial gene; drug effect; Escherichia coli; food control; genetics; isolation and purification; microbial sensitivity test; multidrug resistance | antimicrobial resistance; Escherichia coli; mcr-1 gene; One Health |
| Serological detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infection in multiple hosts by one universal ELISA | Tuberculosis (TB), a contagious disease mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), and Mycobacterium caprae (M. caprae), poses a major global threat to the health of humans and many species of animals. Developing an antemortem detection technique for different species would be of significance in improving the surveillance employing a One Health strategy. To achieve this goal, a universal indirect ELISA was established for serologically detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infection for multiple live hosts by using a fusion protein of MPB70, MPB83, ESAT6, and CFP10 common in M. tb, M. bovis, and M. caprae as the coating antigen (MMEC) and HRP-labeled fusion protein A and G as a secondary antibody. After testing the known positive and negative sera, the receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to decide the cut-off values. Then, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of MMEC/AG-iELISA were determined as 100.00% (95% CI: 96.90%, 100.00%) and 100.00% (95% CI: 98.44%, 100.00%) for M. bovis infection of cattle, 100.00% (95% CI: 95.00%, 100.00%) and 100.0% (95% CI: 96.80%, 100.00%) for M. bovis infection of sheep, 90.74% (95% CI: 80.09%, 95.98%) and 98.63% (95% CI: 95.14%, 99.76%) for M. bovis infection of cervids, 100.00% (95% CI: 15.81%, 100.00%) and 98.81% (95% CI: 93.54%, 99.97%) for M. bovis infection of monkeys, 100.00% (95% CI: 86.82%, 100.00%) and 94.85% (95% CI: 91.22%, 97.03%) for M. tb infection of humans. Furthermore, this MMEC/AG-iELISA likely detects M. caprae infection in roe deer. Thus this method has a promising application in serological TB surveillance for multiple animal species thereby providing evidence for taking further action in TB control. © 2021 Sun et al. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Antibodies, Bacterial; Cattle; Deer; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Serologic Tests; Sheep; Tuberculosis; antigen; culture filtrate protein 10; fusion protein; bacterium antibody; Article; bacterium detection; bovine tuberculosis; clinical article; communicable disease; controlled study; diagnostic test accuracy study; Haplorhini; human; indirect ELISA; Mycobacterium caprae; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nonhuman; One Health; receiver operating characteristic; roe deer; sensitivity and specificity; serology; sheep; tuberculosis; tuberculosis control; animal; bovine; chemistry; deer; diagnostic test; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; genetics; immunology; isolation and purification; microbiology; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; pathogenicity; tuberculosis; wild animal |
| How animal agriculture stakeholders define, perceive, and are impacted by antimicrobial resistance: challenging the Wellcome Trust’s Reframing Resistance principles | Humans, animals, and the environment face a universal crisis: antimicrobial resistance (AR). Addressing AR and its multi-disciplinary causes across many sectors including in human and veterinary medicine remains underdeveloped. One barrier to AR efforts is an inconsistent process to incorporate the plenitude of stakeholders about what AR is and how to stifle its development and spread—especially stakeholders from the animal agriculture sector, one of the largest purchasers of antimicrobial drugs. In 2019, The Wellcome Trust released Reframing Resistance: How to communicate about antimicrobial resistance effectively (Reframing Resistance), which proposed the need to establish a consistent and harmonized messaging effort that describes the AR crisis and its global implications for health and wellbeing across all stakeholders. Yet, Reframing Resistance does not specifically engage the animal agriculture community. This study investigates the gap between two principles recommended by Reframing Resistance and animal agriculture stakeholders. For this analysis, the research group conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of United States animal agriculture stakeholders. Participants reported attitudes, beliefs, and practices about a variety of issues, including how they defined AR and what entities the AR crisis impacts most. Exploration of Reframing Resistance’s Principle 2, “explain the fundamentals succinctly” and Principle 3, “emphasis that this is universal issue; it can affect anyone, including you” reveals disagreement in both the fundamentals of AR and consensus of “who” the AR crisis impacts. Principle 2 may do better to acknowledge that animal agriculture stakeholders espouse a complex array of perspectives that cannot be summed up in a single perspective or principle. As a primary tool to combat AR, behavior change must be accomplished first through outreach to stakeholder groups and understanding their perspectives. © 2021, This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply. | Animal agriculture; Animal husbandry; Antimicrobial resistance; Antimicrobial use; One Health; Qualitative research |
| Quality management system implementation in human and animal laboratories | Background: The ability to rapidly detect emerging and re-emerging threats relies on a strong network of laboratories providing high quality testing services. Improving laboratory quality systems to ensure that these laboratories effectively play their critical role using a tailored stepwise approach can assist them to comply with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHRs) and the World Organization for Animal Health’s (OIE) guidelines. Methods: Fifteen (15) laboratories in Armenia’s human and veterinary laboratory networks were enrolled into a quality management system strengthening programme from 2017 to 2020. Training was provided for key staff, resulting in an implementation plan developed to address gaps. Routine mentorship visits were conducted. Audits were undertaken at baseline and post-implementation using standardised checklists to assess laboratory improvements. Results: Baseline audit general indicator scores ranged from 21% to 46% for human laboratories and 37% to 60% for the veterinary laboratories. Following implementation scores improved ranging from 7 to 39% for human laboratories and 12% to 19% for veterinary laboratories. Conclusion: In general, there has been improvement for both human and veterinary laboratories in the areas of QMS implementation, particularly in organizational structure, human resources, equipment management, supply chain and data management. Central facilities developed systems that are ready for international accreditation. This One Health strengthening project ensured simultaneous strengthening of both human and veterinary laboratories which is not a common approach. © 2021 | accreditation; Armenia; article; checklist; human; mentor; One Health; organizational structure; public health; standardization; total quality management; veterinary medicine | Laboratory assessments; Laboratory quality management; One Health; Public health laboratory; Standardization; Veterinary laboratory |
| Revealing the distribution characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial communities in animal-aerosol-human in a chicken farm: From One-Health perspective | Antibiotics in breeding industry can enter the environment through multiple pathways, thus accelerating the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), among which aerosol transmission is easily achieved and often overlooked. To elucidate the role of aerosols in this situation, the present study investigated the distribution characteristics of 107 ARG subtypes (targeting to eight different ARG types) and nine mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacterial community in animal (chicken cloaca), environment (aerosols) and human (nasopharynx) of a chicken farm (n = 42) in Henan Province. In total, 116 ARG subtypes and MGEs were identified in the poultry farm. The total bacterial concentration of aerosols inside the chicken house (3.117 × 104 CFU/m3) exceeded the corresponding limit. The microbial communities in the samples of cloaca swab (C) and the workers’ nasopharyngeal swab (N) were closer, while the abundance distribution of ARGs/ MGEs in cloacal swab (C) and aerosol (AI) in chicken house were much similar. There were certain consistency of the microbial community structure and the distribution of ARGs among the three groups of chicken cloaca, air aerosol, and workers’ nasopharynx. Our results highlighted that animal breeding does have a certain impact on the surrounding environment and human, and aerosols play an important role in this process. © 2021 The Authors | China; Henan; Bacteria (microorganisms); Gallus gallus; aerosol; agricultural worker; antibiotic resistance; atmospheric pollution; bacterium; breeding site; health risk; microbial community; poultry; aerosol; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; article; breeding; chicken; cloaca; controlled study; human; microbial community; mobile genetic element; nasopharyngeal swab; nonhuman; poultry; worker | Antibiotic resistance genes; Human health; Microbial community; Nasopharynx; One-Health; Poultry farm |
| Does deforestation drive visceral leishmaniasis transmission? A causal analysis | Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are important contributors to the global disease burden and are a key factor in perpetuating economic inequality. Although environmental changes are often cited as drivers of VBDs, the link between deforestation and VBD occurrence remains unclear. Here, we examined this relationship in detail using the spread of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in São Paulo state (Brazil) as the case study. We used a two-step approach to estimate the causal effects (overall, direct, and indirect) of deforestation on the occurrence of the VL vector, canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), and human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL). We first estimated the parameters via a double Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and then estimated the causal effects through a Gibbs sampler. We observed that the odds of vector, CVL, and HVL occurrence were 2.63-, 2.07-, and 3.18-fold higher, respectively, in deforested compared with forested municipalities. We also identified a significant influence of the presence of vector, CVL, and HVL in one municipality on disease occurrence in previously naive neighbouring municipalities. Lastly, we found that a hypothetical reduction in deforestation prevalence from 50 to 0% across the state would reduce vector, CVL, and HVL occurrence by 11%, 6.67%, and 29.87%, respectively. Our results suggest that implementing an eco-friendly development strategy that considers trade-offs between agriculture, urbanization, and conservation could be an effective mechanism of controlling VL. © 2021 The Author(s). | Animals; Brazil; Conservation of Natural Resources; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Humans; Insect Vectors; Leishmaniasis, Visceral; Psychodidae; Brazil; Lutzomyia longipalpis; algorithm; deforestation; disease transmission; disease vector; leishmaniasis; trade-off; urbanization; animal; Brazil; dog; dog disease; environmental protection; human; insect vector; Psychodidae; veterinary medicine; visceral leishmaniasis | American visceral leishmaniasis; counterfactual; environmental change; interference; Lutzomyia longipalpis; One Health |
| Impact of the recent Ebola epidemic with pandemic potential on the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and other West African countries | West Africa experienced its first Ebola epidemic in 2014. Its magnitude in terms of morbidity and mortality was greater than any other epidemic. It has particularly affected Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Its impact, beyond the high mortality, is also economic. The Ebola virus disease spread to several other African countries with limited resources, causing a significant financial burden to their health systems but also impacting the entire economy of the countries. The objective of this essay is to reflect on the consequences of the Ebola virus epidemics on West African economies in the short term. Estimates of the economic burden of the epidemic range from $2.8 billion to $32.6 billion in lost gross domestic product. The sectors affected by the economic crisis are the most important of the contaminated countries, namely agriculture, mining and trade. There has been a halt in socioeconomic activities in the most affected regions. The decrease in the number of workers affected by the virus, the exodus to the least affected areas, and the repatriation of government employees have contributed to the decrease in the income of individuals and states. The fear of contamination by foreign countries has reduced imports, but also all tourist activities, which in turn have had an impact on the restaurant and hotel sectors. All these financial and food disruptions have exposed the population of these countries to food insecurity. The analysis of the impact of the Ebola virus on West African economies in the short term was as devastating as the health impact. This impact has directly contributed to a decrease in economic growth not only for the affected countries but also for all West African countries that depend on these same resources. A loss of about US$32.6 billion over two years in the West African region has been estimated, which is equivalent to 3.3% of the regional gross domestic product (GDP) in the absence of Ebola in 2014. © Mohamed Lamine Dramé et al. | Disease Outbreaks; Epidemics; Guinea; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola; Humans; Liberia; Pandemics; Sierra Leone; palm oil; absenteeism; acquired immune deficiency syndrome; agricultural worker; agriculture; Article; aviation; cacao; cash crop; coffee; coronavirus disease 2019; country economic status; developing country; diarrhea; Ebola hemorrhagic fever; Ebolavirus; economic aspect; economic crisis; economic development; economic vulnerability; economist; educational status; emergency care; endemic disease; environmental resilience; epidemic; fear; financial crisis; financial management; food crop; food insecurity; government employee; gross national product; Guinea; health auxiliary; health care facility; health care personnel; health care planning; health care policy; health care system; health impact assessment; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; Liberia; malaria; malnutrition; migration; mining; morbidity; mortality rate; One Health; pandemic; personnel shortage; pneumonia; prenatal care; private sector; public health service; restaurant; Sierra Leone; social environment; social status; Thai (people); tourism; trade union; traffic and transport; tuberculosis; unemployment; urban area; vaccination; vulnerable population; worker; World Food Programme; epidemic; pandemic | Ebola; Pandemic; Socio-economic impacts; West African countries |
| Positive association between the use of quinolones in food animals and the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in e. Coli and k. pneumoniae, a. baumannii and p. aeruginosa: A global ecological analysis | (1) Background: It is unclear what underpins the large global variations in the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. We tested the hypothesis that different intensities in the use of quinolones for food-animals play a role. (2) Methods: We used Spearman’s correlation to assess if the country-level prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in human infections with Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was correlated with the use of quinolones for food producing animals. Linear regression was used to assess the relative contributions of country-level quinolone consumption for food-animals and humans on fluoroquinolone resistance in these 4 species. (3) Results: The prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in each species was positively associated with quinolone use for food-producing animals (E. coli [ρ = 0.55; p <0.001], K. pneumoniae [ρ = 0.58; p < 0.001]; A. baumanii [ρ = 0.54; p = 0.004]; P. aeruginosa [ρ = 0.48; p = 0.008]). Linear regression revealed that both quinolone consumption in humans and food animals were independently associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli and A. baumanii. (4) Conclusions: Besides the prudent use of quinolones in humans, reducing quinolone use in food-producing animals may help retard the spread of fluoroquinolone resistance in various Gram-negative bacterial species. © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | antiinfective agent; quinolone; Acinetobacter baumannii; animal; animal experiment; animal model; antibiotic resistance; Article; Escherichia coli; fluoroquinolone resistance; food producing animal; Gram negative bacterium; human; Klebsiella pneumoniae; linear regression analysis; nonhuman; prevalence; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; sensitivity analysis | Acinetobacter; Antibiotic consumption; Antimicrobial resistance; E. coli; Fluoroquinolones; Food-animals; K. pneumoniae; One-health; P. aeruginosa |
| Sero-epidemiology and associated risk factors of brucellosis among sheep and goat population in the south western Nepal: a comparative study | Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella spp. In Nepal, the presence of brucellosis in small ruminants, namely sheep and goats, has impacted farmers’ livelihood and the food safety of consumers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Rupandehi district of Nepal during January to March 2020 to investigate the seroepidemiology and associated risk factors of brucellosis in the sheep and goat population. Altogether, 19 sheep and 60 goat farms in the district were visited. Owners were interviewed to get information on animals, including their management and movement patterns. Three hundred fifty-seven samples (80 sheep and 277 goat samples) were collected proportionately based on farm sizes. Each serum sample was tested with Rose Bengal Test and ELISA to estimate the seropositivity of brucellosis. Logistic regression was carried out to calculate corresponding odds ratios of each variable associated with detection of brucellosis. Results: At the farm level, 31.6% (6/19; 95% CI: 12, 54%) of sheep farms and 3.3% (2/60, 95% CI: 0.9, 11.4%) of goat farms were seropositive to brucellosis. Out of 80 sheep serum samples, 12 (15%; 95% CI: 8.79–24.41%) and out of 277 goat serum samples, three (1.1%; 95% CI: 0.37–3.14%) were seropositive to brucellosis. Age greater than 1.5 years (OR = 5.56, 95% CI: 1.39, 29.38; p = 0.02) and herd size of greater than 100 (OR = 4.74, 95% CI: 1.23, 20.32, p = 0.03) were identified as significant risk factors for seropositivity of brucellosis in the sheep population. While in the goat population, none of the variables was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion: The study provides evidence that the older sheep and the sheep from the large herds were at higher risk of brucellosis. A control program should be put in place immediately in the sheep population because they may transmit infections to other livestock as they were regularly moved for grazing and selling purposes. Also, strict biosecurity measures should be implemented among pastoralists to prevent brucellosis transmission in them. We suggest further one health-based study to reveal the transmission dynamics of brucellosis between animals and humans. © 2021, The Author(s). | Age Factors; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Brucella; Brucellosis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Goat Diseases; Goats; Nepal; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Surveys and Questionnaires; rose bengal; bacterium antibody; agricultural land; agricultural worker; Article; Brucella; brucellosis; caprine brucellosis; Coxiella burnetii; disease surveillance; disease transmission; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; Ethiopia; gene frequency; goat; grazing; livestock; meningitis; Nepal; ovine brucellosis; prevalence; Q fever; questionnaire; risk factor; ruminant; sensitivity and specificity; seroepidemiology; serology; seroprevalence; sheep; sheep breed; veterinarian; age; animal; animal husbandry; blood; brucellosis; cross-sectional study; goat; goat disease; immunology; isolation and purification; procedures; risk factor; sheep; sheep disease; veterinary medicine | Brucellosis; Livelihood; Nepal; One health approach; Risk factors; Sheep and goat; Zoonotic disease |
| Pathology and One Health implications of fatal Leptospira interrogans infection in an urbanized, free-ranging, black-tufted marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) in Brazil | Leptospirosis is a zoonotic neglected disease of worldwide public health concern. Leptospira species can infect a wide range of wild and domestic mammals and lead to a spectrum of disease, including severe and fatal forms. Herein, we report for the first time a fatal Leptospira interrogans infection in a free-ranging nonhuman primate (NHP), a black-tufted marmoset. Icterus, pulmonary haemorrhage, interstitial nephritis, and hepatocellular dissociation were the main findings raising the suspicion of leptospirosis. Diagnostic confirmation was based on specific immunohistochemical and PCR assays for Leptospira species. Immunolocalization of leptospiral antigens and identification of pathogenic species (L. interrogans species) were important for better understanding the pathogenesis of the disease. One Health–related implications of free-ranging NHPs in anthropized areas and transmission dynamics of human and animal leptospirosis are discussed. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. | Animals; Brazil; Callithrix; Leptospira; Leptospira interrogans; Leptospirosis; One Health; bilirubin glucuronide; virulence factor; acute kidney failure; adult; animal tissue; Article; artificial neural network; autopsy; bleeding; bronchiole epithelium; Callithrix; Callitrichinae; complement activation; female; histology; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; immunolocalization; Leptospira; Leptospira interrogans; nonhuman; One Health; polymerase chain reaction; rhabdomyolysis; risk assessment; risk factor; submandibular lymph node; toxoplasmosis; Treponema pallidum; urbanization; zoonosis; animal; Brazil; Callithrix; Leptospira; leptospirosis; veterinary medicine | fatal; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; leptospirosis; marmoset; zoonoses |
| Describing variability in pig genes involved in coronavirus infections for a One Health perspective in conservation of animal genetic resources | Coronaviruses silently circulate in human and animal populations, causing mild to severe diseases. Therefore, livestock are important components of a “One Health” perspective aimed to control these viral infections. However, at present there is no example that considers pig genetic resources in this context. In this study, we investigated the variability of four genes (ACE2, ANPEP and DPP4 encoding for host receptors of the viral spike proteins and TMPRSS2 encoding for a host proteinase) in 23 European (19 autochthonous and three commercial breeds and one wild boar population) and two Asian Sus scrofa populations. A total of 2229 variants were identified in the four candidate genes: 26% of them were not previously described; 29 variants affected the protein sequence and might potentially interact with the infection mechanisms. The results coming from this work are a first step towards a “One Health” perspective that should consider conservation programs of pig genetic resources with twofold objectives: (i) genetic resources could be reservoirs of host gene variability useful to design selection programs to increase resistance to coronaviruses; (ii) the described variability in genes involved in coronavirus infections across many different pig populations might be part of a risk assessment including pig genetic resources. © 2021, The Author(s). | Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Animals; Breeding; CD13 Antigens; Coronavirus Infections; Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4; Gene Frequency; Genetic Variation; Genetics, Population; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; INDEL Mutation; One Health; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Receptors, Virus; Serine Endopeptidases; Sus scrofa; Swine; Whole Genome Sequencing; dipeptidyl peptidase IV; microsomal aminopeptidase; serine proteinase; virus receptor; animal; breeding; Coronavirus infection; gene frequency; genetic variation; genetics; high throughput sequencing; human; indel mutation; One Health; pig; population genetics; single nucleotide polymorphism; whole genome sequencing |
| Parasitology and one health—Perspectives on Africa and beyond | This concept paper reviews issues pertaining to parasitic and vector-borne infections, of humans, animals, or both, of topical relevance to the African continent as well as to neighbouring and interconnected geographies. This analysis is carried out through the “One Health” lens, being mindful of the central role of agriculture and livestock keeping in Africa’s sustainable development. The possible agricultural transformation that the continent may undergo to fulfil the rising demand for animal protein of its growing population, coupled with the ongoing climate changes, may lead to potentially enhanced interactions among humans, domesticated and wild animals, in a fast-changing environment. In this view, tackling parasitic conditions of livestock can prove being multidimensionally beneficial by improving animal health as well as communities’ food security, livelihood and public health. Accordingly, the value of applying the One Health approach to drug discovery and development in the fight against parasitic neglected tropical diseases and zoonoses, is also underscored. Overall, this article upholds the adoption of a holistic, global, interdisciplinary, multisectoral, harmonised and forward-looking outlook, encompassing both life and social sciences, when dealing with parasitic conditions of humans and animals, in Africa and beyond, in COVID-19 times and further. © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | chemical compound; parasiticide; unclassified drug; Actinomadura; African trypanosomiasis; agriculture; Ancylostoma duodenale; arbovirus infection; Article; Ascaris lumbricoides; Buruli ulcer; chikungunya; Chikungunya virus; Chlamydia trachomatis; coronavirus disease 2019; cysticercosis; dengue; Dengue virus; dracunculiasis; Dracunculus medinensis; Echinococcus; Exophiala; Fasciola; food borne trematodiase; Leishmania donovani; Leishmania infantum; Leishmania major; Leishmania tropica; leishmaniasis; leprosy; livestock; lymphatic filariasis; Madurella; mycetoma; Mycobacterium leprae; Mycobacterium ulcerans; Necator americanus; nonhuman; Onchocerca volvulus; onchocerciasis; One Health; Paragonimus; parasitic zoonosis; parasitology; physical disease; rabies; Rabies virus; scabies; Schistosoma haematobium; Schistosoma mansoni; schistosomiasis; snakebite; Streptomyces; Strongyloides; Strongyloides stercoralis; Taenia solium; taeniasis; trachoma; Treponema; Trichuris trichiura; tropical disease; Trypanosoma brucei; Wuchereria bancrofti | Africa; Education; International cooperation; One Health; Parasitology; Research & innovation; Vector-borne diseases; Vectors; Zoonoses |
| Genetic comparison of esbl-producing escherichia coli from workers and pigs at vietnamese pig farms | We analyzed and compared genomes of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli from pigs and pig farm workers at 116 farms in Vietnam. Analyses revealed the presence of blaCTX-M-55, blaCTX-M-27, blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-3, blaCTX-M-65, blaCTX-M-24, blaDHA-1, and blaCMY2 in both hosts. Most strains from pigs contained quinolones (qnr) and colistin resistance genes (mcr-1 and mcr-3). Isolates predominantly harbored more than one plasmid replicon and some harbored plasmid replicons on the same contigs as the ESBL genes. Five strains from farm workers of ST38 (2), ST69 (1), and ST1722 (2) were classified as either uropathogenic E. coli (UPECHM)/extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPECJJ ) or UPECHM, and the remaining were genetically distinct commensals. A high heterogeneity was found among the ESBL-producing E. coli from pigs and workers, with most isolates belonging to unrelated phylogroups, serogroups, and sequence types with >4046 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms-(SNPs). In comparing the genomes of pig isolates to those from humans, it appeared that ESBL-producing E. coli in workers did not predominantly originate from pigs but were rather host-specific. Nevertheless, the occurrence of ESBL-producing E. coli carrying plasmid-mediated colistin and quinolone resistance genes in pigs could represent a potential source for horizontal transmission to humans through food rather than direct contact. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; ampicillin; cefoxitin; ceftiofur; ceftriaxone; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colistin; gentamicin; nalidixic acid; quinolone; streptomycin; sulfonamide; tetracycline; trimethoprim; aadA1 gene; aadA2 gene; agricultural worker; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; aph gene; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial strain; bacterial transmission; bacterial virulence; bacterium isolate; blaCMY2 gene; blaCTX M 14 gene; blaCTX M 15 gene; blaCTX M 24 gene; blaCTX M 27 gene; blaCTX M 3 gene; blaCTX M 55 gene; blaCTX M 65 gene; blaDHA 1 gene; dfrA1 gene; dfrA12 gene; dfrA14 gene; dfrA15 gene; dfrA16 gene; dfrA17 gene; dfrA27 gene; extended spectrum beta lactamase producing Escherichia coli; gene mutation; gene sequence; genetic analysis; genetic comparison; genetic heterogeneity; genetic parameters; genetic variability; genotype; human; mcr 1 gene; multidrug resistance; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; phenotype; phylogeny; pig; pig farming; plasmid; prevalence; qnrB19 gene; qnrB4 gene; qnrB6 gene; qnrS1 gene; qnrS4 gene; qnrS5 gene; sequence analysis; serotype; single nucleotide polymorphism; uropathogenic Escherichia coli; whole genome sequencing | Commensal E. coli; ESBL; Genomics; One health |
| A scoping review of current practices on community engagement in rural East Africa: Recommendations for snakebite envenoming | Community empowerment and engagement is one of the four strategic aims highlighted in the WHO strategy to prevent and control snakebite envenoming. Inappropriate health-seeking behaviours contribute to adverse outcomes, and community engagement is key in driving behavioural change. WHO has highlighted East Africa as a geographical area of concern for snakebite envenoming. The overall aim of the project is to develop a community engagement toolkit for snakebite envenoming and other NTDs. The objective of this scoping review was to identify current practices in recent community engagement in rural East Africa; the applicability of these results to snakebite envenoming are discussed. PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Google Scholar were searched from 1 January 2017 to 3 September 2020. Search terms were used to identify publications which related to rural communities and health or disease, for both humans and animals. After reviewing the full papers for all geographical areas, 112 publications were included, 30 of which were conducted in East Africa. Papers included nine different countries and covered a broad range of health topics; notably, water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, and maternal and child health. Only one publication considered animal health. The most common form of engagement was in the context of a group meeting, lecture, presentation, discussion or question and answer session (63.3%). A variety of locations within the community were used to engage with people, the most common being an individual’s household (23.3%). Communication factors was the key influencer for engagement, both positively and negatively. Key barriers to engagement include local languages and health beliefs, literacy levels, mobile phone ownership and the level of mobile Internet coverage, burden of agricultural work and weather conditions. This study provides an extensive overview of recent public health community engagement in East Africa, which will serve as a useful resource for any group seeking to plan an intervention in remote and rural areas in East Africa. Furthermore, it serves as a guide to help tailor community engagement to snakebite envenoming. © 2021 The Authors | Africa; Article; attitude to health; community care; decision making; education; envenomation; health belief; health literacy; human; hygiene; internet access; interpersonal communication; mass communication; nutrition; public health; rural area; sanitation; snakebite; social media; sociodemographics; stakeholder engagement; weather | Communication; Community engagement; Neglected tropical diseases; One health; Public health; Snakebite envenoming |
| Food chain information systems in medium-and small-sized slaughterhouses of central Italy and organ and carcass condemnations: A five-year survey | The flow of information between farms and slaughterhouses about animal health, is a fundamental process for modern meat inspection. The information provided by Food Chain Information (FCI) systems in medium-small sized slaughterhouses in central Italy, focusing on the data provided on the animal’s health status, was performed through a five-year survey together with the number of organ and carcass condemnation for bovine, swine and ovine. The annual prevalence of condemnation was higher in bovine (from 10.49% in 2015 to 17.16% in 2019) than swine (from 6.39% in 2015 to 12.64% in 2019) and ovine (from 8.05% in 2019 to 8.98% in 2017), and an overall prevalence increase was observed in bovine and swine, throughout the years. The frequent lack of Food Chain Information (FCI) from farms to slaughterhouses should be emphasised, taking into consideration that a poor implementation of the system by farmers, could lead to a persistent risk of disease at farm level for these two species.-. © the Author(s), 2021 Licensee PAGEPress, Italy. | Abattoir; Meat inspection; One-health; Risk; Zoonosis |
| Genomic Analysis of Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated From Urban Rivers Confirms Spread of Clone Sequence Type 277 Carrying Broad Resistome and Virulome Beyond the Hospital | The dissemination of antibiotic-resistant priority pathogens beyond hospital settings is both a public health and an environmental problem. In this regard, high-risk clones exhibiting a multidrug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR) phenotype have shown rapid adaptation at the human-animal-environment interface. In this study, we report genomic data and the virulence potential of the carbapenemase, São Paulo metallo-β-lactamase (SPM-1)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (Pa19 and Pa151) isolated from polluted urban rivers, in Brazil. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a wide resistome to clinically relevant antibiotics (carbapenems, aminoglycosides, fosfomycin, sulfonamides, phenicols, and fluoroquinolones), biocides (quaternary ammonium compounds) and heavy metals (copper), whereas the presence of exotoxin A, alginate, quorum sensing, types II, III, and IV secretion systems, colicin, and pyocin encoding virulence genes was associated with a highly virulent behavior in the Galleria mellonella infection model. These results confirm the spread of healthcare-associated critical-priority P. aeruginosa belonging to the MDR sequence type 277 (ST277) clone beyond the hospital, highlighting that the presence of these pathogens in environmental water samples can have clinical implications for humans and other animals. © Copyright © 2021 Esposito, Cardoso, Fontana, Fuga, Cardenas-Arias, Moura, Fuentes-Castillo and Lincopan. | alginic acid; amikacin; aminoglycoside; ammonia; antibiotic agent; biocide; carbapenem derivative; carbapenemase; cefepime; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colicin; copper; cotrimoxazole; exotoxin; fosfomycin; genomic DNA; gentamicin; heavy metal; imipenem; levofloxacin; meropenem; metallo beta lactamase; pyocin; quaternary ammonium derivative; quinolone derivative; sulfonamide; ticarcillin; vancomycin; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistome; antibiotic sensitivity; aquatic environment; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial growth; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium identification; bacterium isolation; biofilm; bloodstream infection; carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa; coupling factor; DNA extraction; Galleria mellonella; gene mutation; gene sequence; genetic variability; genome analysis; genome size; integron; molecular genetics; morphogenesis; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; phenotype; phylogenomics; public health; pulsed field gel electrophoresis; quorum sensing; sequence alignment; sequence analysis; Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score; single nucleotide polymorphism; urinary tract infection; whole genome sequencing | aquatic environments; carbapenemase; critical-priority pathogens; Galleria mellonella; genomic surveillance; One Health; resistome; virulome |
| Helminth fauna and histopathology associated with parasitic infections in Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) (Testudines, Chelidae) in a Brazilian river subjected to anthropogenic activities | The objective of this study was to determine the structure of the helminth fauna and identify the macroscopic and histopathological alterations associated with parasitic infections in Phrynops geoffroanus. Freshwater turtles of both sexes were captured during the dry and rainy seasons in four municipalities along the Capibaribe River. The study included 63 animals, of which 79.37% (50/63) were parasitized by one or more helminths. In total, 933 helminths of seven taxa were recovered: Serpinema monospiculatus, Spiroxys figueiredoi, Nematophila grandis, Polystomoides brasiliensis, Cheloniodiplostomum testudinis, Telorchis birabeni, and Prionosomoides scalaris. Monogeneans and digenetic trematodes were more sensitive to environmental pressures, since the prevalences varied significantly between areas. Nematodes proved to be more resistant to environmental pressure and caused severe injuries to their hosts: nodules in the stomach and small intestine, adhesions in the liver capsule, and pulmonary emphysema. Parasitic granulomas were recorded at the infection sites and in the lungs and liver, the latter caused by migration of S. figueiredoi larvae. This is the first record of P. brasiliensis, N. grandis, C. testudinis, and T. birabeni parasitizing P. geoffroanus in the state of Pernambuco. Histopathology proved to be an important tool for studies on the impact of parasites at the individual, population, and ecosystem levels. Considering the use of the Capibaribe River for public water supply, fishing, and other activities, within the One Health perspective, this study demonstrates that the anthropogenic impact affects parasites and their hosts, in addition to the human population that uses this ecosystem. © 2021 Elsevier B.V. | Animals; Anthropogenic Effects; Ecosystem; Female; Helminths; Male; Parasitic Diseases; Rivers; Turtles; ketamine; thiopental; xylazine; adult; anesthesia induction; animal experiment; animal tissue; anthropogenic activity; Article; Brazilian; coinfection; fauna; female; fishing; granuloma; helminth; histopathology; human impact (environment); lung emphysema; macrophage; male; nematode; nonhuman; occipital sinus; parasitism; parasitosis; Phrynops geoffroanus; prevalence; seasonal variation; tropic climate; turtle; water supply; animal; ecosystem; parasitology; river; turtle | Freshwater turtle; Histopathological lesions; Nematoda; One Health; Parasitic ecology; Trematoda |
| Evidence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in domestic cats living with owners with a history of COVID-19 in Lima – Peru | SARS-CoV-2 can infect a variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide. Of these, domestic cats are highly susceptible species and potential viral reservoirs. As such, it is important to investigate disease exposure in domestic cats in areas with active community transmission and high disease prevalence. In this report we demonstrate the presence of serum neutralizing antibodies against the receptor binding-domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 in cats whose owners had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Lima, Peru, using a commercial competitive ELISA SARS-CoV-2 Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test. Out of 41 samples, 17.1% (7/41) and 31.7% (13/41) were positive, using the cut-off inhibition value of 30% and 20%, respectively. Not all cats living in a single house had detectable neutralizing antibodies showing heterogenous exposure and immunity among cohabiting animals. This is the first report of SARS-COV-2 exposure of domestic cats in Lima, Peru. Further studies are required to ascertain the prevalence of SARS-COV-2 exposure among domestic cats. © 2021 | neutralizing antibody; antibody blood level; Article; binding site; cohabiting person; competitive ELISA; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; domestic cat; female; male; nonhuman; Peru; prevalence; receptor binding; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; virus neutralization | Cats; COVID-19; Neutralizing antibodies; One health; SARS-CoV-2; Serology |
| Developing a one health approach by using a multi-dimensional matrix | The One Health concept that human, animal, plant, environmental, and ecosystem health are linked provides a framework for examining and addressing complex health challenges. This framework can be represented as a multi-dimensional matrix that can be used as a tool to identify upstream drivers of disease potential in a concise, systematic, and comprehensive way. The matrix can involve up to four dimensions depending on users’ needs. This paper describes and illustrates how the matrix tool might be used to facilitate systems thinking, enabling the development of effective and equitable public policies. The multidimensional One Health matrix tool will be used to examine, as an example, global human and animal fecal wastes. The fecal wastes are analyzed at the microbial and population levels over a timeframe of years. Political, social, and economic factors are part of the matrix and will be examined as well. The One Health matrix tool illustrates how foodborne illnesses, food insecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change are inter-related. Understanding these inter-relationships is essential to develop the public policies needed to achieve many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. © 2021 | ground water; mycotoxin; agricultural worker; anaerobic digestion; antibiotic resistance; aquaculture; Article; caloric intake; climate change; Cryptosporidium; energy consumption; environmental factor; environmental health; environmental impact; epidemic; Escherichia coli; feces analysis; food industry; food insecurity; food safety; greenhouse effect; greenhouse gas; health care access; health care cost; health care organization; health care policy; human; medical research; medicinal plant; microbial diversity; multidimensional scaling; municipal solid waste; nonhuman; One Health; protein intake; public policy; Rotavirus; ruminant; socioeconomics; soil microflora; soil quality; solid waste management; sustainable development; United Nations; vaccination; waste water management; water pollution | Antimicrobial resistance; Climate change; Foodborne illness; Matrix; One health |
| COX-2 Silencing in Canine Malignant Melanoma Inhibits Malignant Behaviour | Metastatic melanoma is a very aggressive form of cancer in both humans and dogs. Dogs primarily develop oral melanoma of mucosal origin. Although oral melanoma in humans is rare, both diseases are highly aggressive with frequent metastases. This disease represents a “One Health” opportunity to improve molecular and mechanistic understanding of melanoma progression. Accumulating evidence suggests that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) may play a critical role in the malignant behaviour of melanoma. In this study we analysed 85 histologically confirmed melanomas from canine patients and showed that COX-2 is overexpressed in both oral and cutaneous melanomas and that COX-2 expression correlates with established markers of poor prognosis. To determine the role of COX-2 in melanoma we developed two melanoma cell lines with stable integration of an inducible doxycycline-regulated expression vector containing a COX-2 targeted micro-RNA (miRNA). Using this system, we showed that cellular proliferation, migration and invasion are COX-2 dependent, establishing a direct relationship between COX-2 expression and malignant behaviour in canine melanoma. We have also developed a powerful molecular tool to aid further dissection of the mechanisms by which COX-2 regulates melanoma progression. © Copyright © 2021 Silveira, Pang, Di Domenico, Veloso, Silva, Puerto, Ferreria and Argyle. | cyclooxygenase 2; doxycycline; microRNA; adult; animal cell; animal tissue; Article; cancer prognosis; cell invasion; cell migration; cell proliferation; controlled study; cutaneous melanoma; dog; expression vector; gene expression; gene overexpression; gene silencing; histopathology; melanoma cell line; mouth cancer; nonhuman; protein expression; protein expression level; protein function; retrospective study | canine; COX-2; malignant; melanoma; one health |
| Marked host association and molecular evidence of limited transmission of ticks and fleas between sympatric wild foxes and rural dogs | Wild and domestic carnivores share ectoparasites, although molecular evidence is lacking. The goals of this study were to describe tick and flea infestation in sympatric free-ranging dogs Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) (Carnivora: Canidae) and Andean foxes Lycalopex culpaeus (Molina, 1782) (Carnivora: Canidae) and to determine whether interspecific transmission occurs. Fleas and ticks retrieved from 79 foxes and 111 dogs in the human-dominated landscapes of central Chile were identified and a subset of specimens characterized by PCR and amplicon sequencing. Each ectoparasite species was clearly associated with a host: abundance and occurrence of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae) and Ctenocephalides spp. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) were significantly higher in dogs than in foxes, whereas the opposite was true for Amblyomma tigrinum (Koch, 1844) (Acari: Ixodidae) and Pulex irritans (Linnaeus, 1758) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Genetic analyses of a subset of ectoparasites revealed that dogs and foxes shared a limited number of nucleotide sequence types, suggesting that the interspecific transmission of these ectoparasites happens infrequently. Data also indicated that the ecological association and biological cycles of ticks and fleas determine the ectoparasite fauna of sympatric carnivores. In conclusion, our study shows that cross-species transmission should be assessed at a molecular level. © 2021 The Royal Entomological Society | Animals; Ctenocephalides; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Flea Infestations; Foxes; Siphonaptera; Ticks; Chile; Amblyomma tigrinum; Canidae; Canis familiaris; Carnivora; Ctenocephalides; Ctenocephalides canis; Ctenocephalides felis; Ixodidae; Pseudalopex; Pulex irritans; Pulicidae; Rhipicephalus sanguineus; antiparasitic agent; atipamezole; cytochrome c oxidase; dexmedetomidine; genomic DNA; ketamine; mitochondrial DNA; proteinase K; RNA 16S; canid; domestic species; ectoparasite; flea; molecular analysis; parasite infestation; parasite transmission; sympatry; tick; wild population; Amblyomma; Amblyomma tigrinum; amplicon; animal experiment; animal model; Article; Chile; controlled study; Ctenocephalides canis; Ctenocephalides felis; disease association; DNA degradation; DNA extraction; dog; flea; flea infestation; fox; gene sequence; genetic analysis; genetic variation; host; molecular biology; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; parasite transmission; polymerase chain reaction; Pulex irritans; Rhipicephalus sanguineus; tick; tick infestation; Xenopsylla; zoonotic transmission; animal; Ctenocephalides; dog disease; flea infestation; veterinary medicine | Cross-species transmission; Ctenocephalides canis; Ctenocephalides felis; One Health; wild/domestic interface |
| A CTSA One Health Alliance guidance on institutional review of veterinary clinical studies | Harmonized institutional processes and reviewer training are vital to maintain integrity and ethical rigor of the veterinary clinical research pipeline and are a prerequisite to future work that might establish centralized or single-site ethical and regulatory review to ease initiation of multi-center studies. Funded by a CTSA One Health Alliance (COHA) pilot award, a diverse working group of veterinary clinicians and institutional representatives was convened in February 2020 to develop a guidance document detailing broadly agreed upon practices for ethical review and approval of veterinary clinical studies conducted in the United States. The working group defined key areas of need for consensus, developed a set of associated guidelines, and circulated these for review by COHA’s fifteen member institutions. Six focus areas were identified by the working group and included vital items of protocol review, composition of the review committee, post-approval monitoring and adverse event reporting, consideration of special circumstances such as satellite sites and the use of healthy veterinary subjects in research, and the informed consent process. This document outlines a broadly agreed-upon framework through which to approach vital items associated with veterinary clinical study protocol review and approval. These approaches represent current best practice in the review and approval of veterinary clinical studies, and can serve as a guidance for veterinary clinician-scientists and regulatory experts, to ensure robust and ethically conducted studies that can contribute to the advancement of both animal and human health. © 2021, The Author(s). | Animal Welfare; Animals; Consent Forms; Ethics, Research; One Health; Research; United States; Veterinary Medicine; adverse event; Article; clinical research; human; institutional review; medical practice; nonhuman; One Health; practice guideline; scientific validity; societal value; veterinary study; animal; animal welfare; informed consent; One Health; research; research ethics; United States; veterinary medicine |
| Serological screening for antibodies against sars-cov-2 in dutch shelter cats | The COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns that companion animals might be infected with, and could become a reservoir of, SARS-CoV-2. As cats are popular pets and susceptible to Coronavirus, we investigated the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in shelter cats housed in Dutch animal shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this large-scale cross-sectional study, serum samples of shelter cats were collected during the second wave of human COVID-19 infections in The Netherlands. Seroprevalence was determined by using an indirect protein-based ELISA validated for cats, and a Virus Neutralization Test (VNT) as confirmation. To screen for feline SARS-CoV-2 shedding, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs of cats positive for ELISA and/or VNT were analyzed using PCR tests. In 28 Dutch animal shelters, 240 shelter cats were convenience sampled. Two of these cats (0.8%; CI 95%: 0.1–3.0%) were seropositive, as evidenced by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. The seropositive animals tested PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2. Based on the results of this study, it is unlikely that shelter cats could be a reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 or pose a (significant) risk to public health. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Cat Diseases; Cats; COVID-19; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing; COVID-19 Serological Testing; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Housing, Animal; Humans; Male; Netherlands; SARS-CoV-2; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Virus Shedding; horseradish peroxidase; immunoglobulin G antibody; neutralizing antibody; phosphate buffered saline; receptor binding domain; SARS-CoV-2 antibody; unclassified drug; viral protein; virus antibody; adult; animal experiment; animal model; antibody detection; antibody titer; Article; blood analysis; cat; coronavirus disease 2019; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; gastrointestinal disease; housing; length of stay; livestock; male; nonhuman; oropharyngeal swab; pandemic; quarantine; questionnaire; real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; rectal swab; screening test; serology; upper respiratory tract infection; veterinarian; virus neutralization; animal; animal housing; blood; cat; cat disease; cross-sectional study; human; immunology; Netherlands; physiology; seroepidemiology; veterinary medicine; virus shedding | Animal shelter; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibody; One health; Serology; Seroprevalence; Shelter medicine; Titer |
| Human density is associated with the increased prevalence of a generalist zoonotic parasite in mammalian wildlife | Macroecological approaches can provide valuable insight into the epidemiology of globally distributed, multi-host pathogens. Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan that infects any warm-blooded animal, including humans, in almost every ecosystem worldwide. There is substantial geographical variation in T. gondii prevalence in wildlife populations and the mechanisms driving this variation are poorly understood. We implemented Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models to determine the association between species’ ecology, phylogeny and climatic and anthropogenic factors on T. gondii prevalence. Toxoplasma gondii prevalence data were compiled for free-ranging wild mammal species from 202 published studies, encompassing 45 079 individuals from 54 taxonomic families and 238 species. We found that T. gondii prevalence was positively associated with human population density and warmer temperatures at the sampling location. Terrestrial species had a lower overall prevalence, but there were no consistent patterns between trophic level and prevalence. The relationship between human density and T. gondii prevalence is probably mediated by higher domestic cat abundance and landscape degradation leading to increased environmental oocyst contamination. Landscape restoration and limiting free-roaming in domestic cats could synergistically increase the resiliency of wildlife populations and reduce wildlife and human infection risks from one of the world’s most common parasitic infections. © Crown copyright. | Animals; Animals, Wild; Bayes Theorem; Cats; Ecosystem; Humans; Mammals; Parasites; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis, Animal; Felis catus; Mammalia; Protozoa; Toxoplasma gondii; epidemiology; human activity; macroecology; mammal; parasite prevalence; protozoan; wildlife management; animal; animal toxoplasmosis; Bayes theorem; cat; ecosystem; human; mammal; parasite; parasitology; phylogeny; prevalence; Toxoplasma; wild animal | anthropogenic pressure; free-roaming cats; one health; Toxoplasma gondii; wildlife disease |
| Multispecies q fever outbreak in a mixed dairy goat and cattle farm based on a new bovine-associated genotype of coxiella burnetii | A Q fever outbreak on a dairy goat and cattle farm was investigated with regard to the One Health concept. Serum samples and vaginal swabs from goats with different reproductive statuses were collected. Cows, cats, and a dog were investigated with the same sample matrix. The farmer’s family was examined by serum samples. Ruminant sera were analyzed with two phase-specific enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISAs). Dominant immunoglobulin G (IgG) phase II levels reflected current infections in goats. The cows had high IgG phase I and II levels indicating ongoing infections. Feline, canine, and human sera tested positive by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Animal vaginal swabs were analyzed by qPCR to detect C. burnetii, and almost all tested positive. A new cattle-associated C. burnetii genotype C16 was identified by the Multiple-Locus Variable-number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA/VNTR) from ruminant samples. Additionally, a possible influence of 17ß-estradiol on C. burnetii antibody response was evaluated in goat sera. Goats in early/mid-pregnancy had significantly lower levels of phase-specific IgGs and 17ß-estradiol than goats in late pregnancy. We conclude that the cattle herd may have transmitted C. burnetii to the pregnant goat herd, resulting in a Q fever outbreak with one acute human case. The influence of placentation and maternal pregnancy hormones during pregnancy on the immune response is discussed. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | doxycycline; estradiol; immunoglobulin G antibody; immunoglobulin M antibody; Q fever vaccine; adolescent; adult; animal experiment; animal tissue; antibody response; antibody titer; Article; bacterial transmission; bacterium detection; bovine; cat; child; clinical article; controlled study; cow; Coxiella burnetii; dairy goat; dog; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; epidemic; fatigue; female; fetus; fever; genetic analysis; genotype; human; immune response; indirect fluorescent antibody technique; limb pain; male; middle aged; multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis; myalgia; nonhuman; One Health; placenta development; polymerase chain reaction; preschool child; Q fever; unconsciousness; young adult | 17ß-estradiol; Cat; Cattle; Coxiella burnetii; Dog; Goat; MLVA/VNTR; One Health; Phase-specific serology; Zoonosis |
| First detection of an Italian human-to-cat outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant – lineage B.1.1.7 | The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and their rapid spread pose a threat to both human and animal health and may conceal unknown risks. This report describes an Italian human-to-cat outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 (the Alpha variant). On March 7th, 2021, approximately ten days after COVID-19 appeared in the family, the onset of respiratory signs in a cat by COVID-19-affected owners led to an in-depth diagnostic investigation, combining clinical and serological data with rt-qPCR-based virus detection and whole genome sequencing. The Alpha variant was confirmed first in the owners and a few days later in the cat that was then monitored weekly: the course was similar with one-week lag time in the cat. In addition, based on comparative analysis of genome sequences from our study and from 200 random Italian cases of Alpha variant, the familial cluster was confirmed. The temporal sequence along with the genomic data support a human-to-animal transmission. Such an event emphasizes the importance of studying the circulation and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants in humans and animals to better understand and prevent potential spillover risks or unwarranted alerts involving our pet populations. © 2021 | animal experiment; article; cat; controlled study; human; nonhuman; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 | Cat; Human-to-animal transmission; Infection cluster; One health approach; Sars-CoV-2 alpha variant lineage B.1.1.7 |
| Does Wealth Predict Health Among Dogs in a Protected Area? | As the world’s most ubiquitous carnivore, domestic dogs maintain unique proximity to human populations. Partly because dogs potentially serve as hosts of zoonotic diseases, determinants of canine health are increasingly the focus of interdisciplinary research. Emerging perspectives suggest that dogs’ health may vary as a function of their owners’ wealth and financial resources, a correlation that could potentially inform public health programs and conservation efforts. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between household wealth and the health of domestic dogs (n = 208) among indigenous Mayangna communities in the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua. The dogs were evaluated using serum biochemistry, complete blood count, and physical exam findings. Using these data, a principal components analysis (PCA) determined the presence of four “syndromes”: 1) decreased body condition score (BCS) & hypoalbuminemia; 2) lymphocytosis & eosinophilia; 3) segmented neutrophilia; and 4) lymphadenopathy, tick infestation, & hyperglobulinemia. An inventory of possessions indexed household wealth. For all four syndromes, household wealth was a weak and uninformative predictor of the dogs’ health. The few differences seen among dogs from households with different degrees of wealth likely reflect that nearly all dogs had marginal health and all households were relatively poor. Results from this study imply that owners’ wealth may have diverse effects on canine health in rural settings. © 2021, This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply. | Bosawas Reserve; Nicaragua; canid; domestic species; indigenous population; interdisciplinary approach; Neotropical Region; principal component analysis; protected area; socioeconomic status | Canine health; Mayangna; Neotropics; Nicaragua; One health; Socioeconomic status |
| Challenges to improved animal rabies surveillance: Experiences from pilot implementation of decentralized diagnostic units in Chad | Better surveillance is desperately needed to guide rabies prevention and control to achieve the goal of zero dog-mediated human rabies by 2030, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners in 2015. With the help of funding from the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) learning agenda, we implemented animal rabies surveillance based on One Health communication, improved accessibility of diagnostic testing and facilitated sample transport to increase case detection in three regions of Chad. Through the project, rabies surveillance, previously only available in N’Djaména, was extended to selected provincial rural and urban areas. Nine decentralized diagnostic units (DDU) were established, hosted by veterinary district agencies (VDA) in four different administrative regions. Four additional VDAs in the study area were reinforced with facilitation of sample collection and transport. Staff from all these 13 veterinary facilities were trained in sample collection and diagnostics. DDUs performed Rapid Immunodiagnostic Tests (RIDT) providing a preliminary result before samples were sent to the central laboratory in N’Djamena for confirmation with the standard Florescent Antibody Test (FAT). Within the project period from June 2016 to March 2018, 115 samples were reported by veterinary facilities in the study areas compared to 63 samples received from outside the study area, the vast majority of them originating from the capital city N’Djaména (N=61). Eighty nine percent of all 178 samples reported to IRED during the project period tested positive. Most of the samples originated from dogs (92%). Other confirmed rabies positive animals observed were cats, a donkey and a pig. Although surveillance of animal rabies was the focus, four human saliva samples were also submitted for diagnosis. We observed high differences in reporting rates between the four study regions. This could be attributable to differences in rabies epidemiology but are also influenced by the distance to the central laboratory in N’Djaména, the cultural background and the level of public awareness. The possibility for local testing through RIDT was very welcomed by local veterinary staff and preliminary insights suggest a positive influence on One Health communication and PEP initiation. However, these aspects as well as the relative impact of local testing on sample collection in comparison to reinforcement of sample collection and transport alone, need to be further investigated. Challenges encountered related to poor infrastructure (buildings, appliances, materials) and low logistic capacity (lacking means and material for transport and communication) of veterinary services in Chad. In addition, veterinary personnel lack experience in data management. Together with staff turnover, this leads to a need for repeated training. Major shortcoming of the approach was the high cost per sample and limited sustainability beyond the project timeframe. © 2021 The Authors | Animals; Cats; Chad; Dogs; Equidae; Humans; One Health; Rabies; Rabies Vaccines; Swine; Chad; N’Djamena; rabies vaccine; accessibility; antibody; decentralization; health policy; immunoassay; implementation process; public health; rabies; surveillance and enforcement; testing method; Article; cat; Chad; controlled study; cultural factor; decentralization; diagnostic test; disease surveillance; donkey; fluorescent antibody technique; health care access; health care cost; health care delivery; health care facility; health promotion; human; information processing; medical staff; nonhuman; One Health; paraveterinary worker; personnel management; pig; pilot study; post exposure prophylaxis; program sustainability; public health; rabies; rural area; serodiagnosis; specimen handling; urban area; veterinary education; veterinary medicine; animal; dog; Equidae; One Health; rabies | Chad; Decentralization; One health; Rabies diagnosis; Surveillance |
| Sars-cov-2 infection in dogs and cats from southern germany and northern italy during the first wave of the covid-19 pandemic | Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people globally since its first detection in late 2019. Besides humans, cats and, to some extent, dogs were shown to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the need for surveillance in a One Health context. Seven veterinary clinics from regions with high incidences of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were recruited during the early pandemic (March to July 2020) for the screening of patients. A total of 2257 oropharyngeal and nasal swab specimen from 877 dogs and 260 cats (including 18 animals from COVID-19-affected households and 92 animals with signs of respiratory disease) were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA using reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) targeting the viral envelope (E) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) genes. One oropharyngeal swab from an Italian cat, living in a COVID-19-affected household in Piedmont, tested positive in RT-qPCR (1/260; 0.38%, 95% CI: 0.01–2.1%), and SARS-CoV-2 infection of the animal was serologically confirmed six months later. One oropharyngeal swab from a dog was potentially positive (1/877; 0.1%, 95% CI: 0.002–0.63%), but the result was not confirmed in a reference laboratory. Analyses of convenience sera from 118 animals identified one dog (1/94; 1.1%; 95% CI: 0.02–5.7%) from Lombardy, but no cats (0/24), as positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibodies and neutralizing activity. These findings support the hypothesis that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pet cat and dog populations, and hence, the risk of zoonotic transmission to veterinary staff, was low during the first wave of the pandemic, even in hotspot areas. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; COVID-19; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Germany; Italy; Male; Oropharynx; Pandemics; RNA, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; virus RNA; animal; cat; cat disease; dog; dog disease; female; genetics; Germany; isolation and purification; Italy; male; oropharynx; pandemic; veterinary medicine; virology | Antibody; Domestic animals; One health; Prevalence; RT-qPCR; SARS-CoV-2; Serology; Surveillance; Zoonosis |
| Characterizing social-ecological context and success factors of antimicrobial resistance interventions across the One Health spectrum: analysis of 42 interventions targeting E. coli | Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the most pressing One Health issues. While interventions and policies with various targets and goals have been implemented, evidence about factors underpinning success and failure of interventions in different sectors is lacking. The objective of this study is to identify characteristics of AMR interventions that increase their capacity to impact AMR. This study focuses on AMR interventions targeting E. coli. Methods: We used the AMR-Intervene framework to extract descriptions of the social and ecological systems of interventions to determine factors contributing to their success. Results: We identified 52 scientific publications referring to 42 unique E. coli AMR interventions. We mainly identified interventions implemented in high-income countries (36/42), at the national level (16/42), targeting primarily one sector of society (37/42) that was mainly the human sector (25/42). Interventions were primarily funded by governments (38/42). Most intervention targeted a low leverage point in the AMR system, (36/42), and aimed to change the epidemiology of AMR (14/42). Among all included publications, 55% (29/52) described at least one success factor or obstacle (29/52) and 19% (10/52) identified at least one success factor and one obstacle. Most reported success factors related to communication between the actors and stakeholders and the role of media, and stressed the importance of collaboration between disciplines and external partners. Described obstacles covered data quality, access to data and statistical analyses, and the validity of the results. Conclusions: Overall, we identified a lack of diversity regarding interventions. In addition, most published E. coli interventions were poorly described with limited evidence of the factors that contributed to the intervention success or failure. Design and reporting guidelines would help to improve reporting quality and provide a valuable tool for improving the science of AMR interventions. © 2021, The Author(s). | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Humans; One Health; antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; article; data quality; ecosystem; Escherichia coli; government; high income country; human; implementation science; nonhuman; One Health; practice guideline; spectroscopy; validity; antibiotic resistance | AMR; E. coli; Enterobacteriaceae; Implementation science; Social-ecological system |
| Cell Therapy in Veterinary Medicine as a Proof-of-Concept for Human Therapies: Perspectives From the North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association | In the past decade, the potential to translate scientific discoveries in the area of regenerative therapeutics in veterinary species to novel, effective human therapies has gained interest from the scientific and public domains. Translational research using a One Health approach provides a fundamental link between basic biomedical research and medical clinical practice, with the goal of developing strategies for curing or preventing disease and ameliorating pain and suffering in companion animals and humans alike. Veterinary clinical trials in client-owned companion animals affected with naturally occurring, spontaneous disease can inform human clinical trials and significantly improve their outcomes. Innovative cell therapies are an area of rapid development that can benefit from non-traditional and clinically relevant animal models of disease. This manuscript outlines cell types and therapeutic applications that are currently being investigated in companion animals that are affected by naturally occurring diseases. We further discuss how such investigations impact translational efforts into the human medical field, including a critical evaluation of their benefits and shortcomings. Here, leaders in the field of veterinary regenerative medicine argue that experience gained through the use of cell therapies in companion animals with naturally occurring diseases represent a unique and under-utilized resource that could serve as a critical bridge between laboratory/preclinical models and successful human clinical trials through a One-Health approach. Copyright © 2021 Arzi, Webb, Koch, Volk, Betts, Watts, Goodrich, Kallos and Kol. | Article; cell therapy; cells by body anatomy; consensus; cryopreservation; exosome; human; immunocompetent cell; immunogenicity; mesenchymal stroma cell; nonhuman; organoid; pluripotent stem cell; proof of concept; quality control; randomized controlled trial (topic); regenerative medicine; veterinary medicine | clinical trial; companion animals; naturally occurring; One Health; stem cell; therapy |
| Parallel Pandemics Illustrate the Need for One Health Solutions | African Swine Fever (ASF) was reported in domestic pigs in China in 2018. This highly contagious viral infection with no effective vaccine reached pandemic proportions by 2019, substantially impacting protein availability in the same region where the COVID-19 pandemic subsequently emerged. We discuss the genesis, spread, and wide-reaching impacts of this epidemic in a vital livestock species, noting parallels and potential contributions to ignition of COVID-19. We speculate about impacts of these pandemics on global public health infrastructure and suggest intervention strategies using a cost: benefit approach for low-risk, massive-impact events. We note that substantive changes in how the world reacts to potential threats will be required to overcome catastrophes driven by climate change, food insecurity, lack of surveillance infrastructure, and other gaps. A One Health approach creating collaborative processes connecting expertise in human, animal, and environmental health is essential for combating future global health crises. © Copyright © 2021 Tucker, Fagre, Wittemyer, Webb, Abworo and VandeWoude. | African swine fever; Article; coronavirus disease 2019; disease surveillance; environmental health; global health; health care; human; mortality rate; One Health; parallel pandemics Illustrate; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; vaccination; virus | African Swine Fever; COVID-19; disease surveillance and control; One Health; public health |
| Host colonization as a major evolutionary force favoring the diversity and the emergence of the worldwide multidrug-resistant escherichia coli st131 | The emergence of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 is a major worldwide public health problem in humans. According to the “one health” approach, this study investigated animal reservoirs of ST131, their relationships with human strains, and the genetic features associated with host colonization. High-quality genomes originating from human, avian, and canine hosts were classified on the basis of their accessory gene content using pangenomic. Pangenomic clusters and subclusters were specifically and significantly associated with hosts. The functions of clustering accessory genes were mainly enriched in functions involved in DNA acquisition, interactions, and virulence (e.g., pathogenesis, response to biotic stimulus and interaction between organisms). Accordingly, networks of cooccurrent host interaction factors were significantly associated with the pangenomic clusters and the originating hosts. The avian strains exhibited a specific content in virulence factors. Rarely found in humans, they corresponded to pathovars responsible for severe human infections. An emerging subcluster significantly associated with both human and canine hosts was evidenced. This ability to significantly colonize canine hosts in addition to humans was associated with a specific content in virulence factors (VFs) and metabolic functions encoded by a new pathogenicity island in ST131 and an improved fitness that is probably involved in its emergence. Overall, VF content, unlike the determinants of antimicrobial resistance, appeared as a key actor of bacterial host adaptation. The host dimension emerges as a major driver of genetic evolution that shapes ST131 genome, enhances its diversity, and favors its dissemination. IMPORTANCE Until now, there has been no indication that the evolutionary dynamics of Escherichia coli ST131 may reflect independent and host-specific adaptation of this lineage outside humans. In contrast, the limited number of ST131 reports in animals supported the common view that it rather reflects a spillover of the human sector. This study uncovered a link between host, ST131 population structure, and virulence factor content which appeared to reflect adaptation to hosts. This study helps to better understand the reservoir of ST131, the putative transmission flux, associated risks and the evolutionary dynamics of this bacterial population and highlights a paradigm in which host colonization stands as a key ecological force of the ST131 evolution. © 2021 Bonnet et al. | Animals; Birds; Disease Reservoirs; Dogs; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Evolution, Molecular; Genome, Bacterial; Global Health; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Male; Mice; Virulence Factors; virulence factor; animal reservoir; antibiotic resistance; Article; avian genetics; bacterial colonization; bacterial genetics; bacterial virulence; Canis; controlled study; gene cluster; genome; host adaptation; host bacterium interaction; human; microbial diversity; multidrug resistant Escherichia coli; multidrug resistant Escherichia coli ST131; nonhuman; One Health; pathogenicity; pathotype; phylogenetic tree; animal; bacterial genome; bird; disease carrier; dog; drug effect; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli infection; genetics; global health; host pathogen interaction; male; microbiology; molecular evolution; mouse; multidrug resistance; physiology; veterinary medicine | Antibiotic resistance; Escherichia coli; Extended-spectrum betalactamase; Genome analysis; Host colonization; One health; Population genetics; Population structure; ST131; Veterinary epidemiology; Veterinary microbiology; Virulence; Virulence factors |
| Preventing the cross-border spread of zoonotic diseases: Multisectoral community engagement to characterize animal mobility—Uganda, 2020 | In Uganda, the borders are highly porous to animal movement, which may contribute to zoonotic disease spread. We piloted an animal adaptation of an existing human-focused toolkit to collect data on animal movement patterns and interactions to inform One Health programs. During January 2020, we conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews with participatory mapping of 2 national-level One Health stakeholders and 2 local-level abattoir representatives from Kampala. Zoonotic disease hotspots changed in 2020 compared with reports from 2017–2019. In contrast to local-level participants, national-level participants highlighted districts rather than specific locations. Everyone discussed livestock species; only national-level participants mentioned wildlife. Participants described seasonality differently. Stakeholders used the results to identify locations for zoonotic disease interventions and sites for future data collection. This implementation of an animal-adapted population mobility mapping exercise highlights the importance of multisectoral initiatives to promote One Health border health approaches. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH | Animals; Animals, Wild; Humans; Livestock; One Health; Uganda; Zoonoses; agriculture; Article; brucellosis; controlled study; livestock; nonhuman; One Health; public health; Rift Valley fever; ruminant; seasonal variation; slaughterhouse; slaughtering; Uganda; zoonosis; animal; human; wild animal; zoonosis | One Health; Uganda; zoonoses |
| Anaplasma phagocytophilum and anaplasma ovis–emerging pathogens in the german sheep population | Knowledge on the occurrence of pathogenic tick-borne bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma ovis is scarce in sheep from Germany. In 2020, owners from five flocks reported ill thrift lambs and ewes with tick infestation. Out of 67 affected sheep, 55 animals were clinically examined and hematological values, blood chemistry and fecal examinations were performed to investigate the underlying disease causes. Serological tests (cELISA, IFAT) and qPCR were applied to all affected sheep to rule out A. phagocytophilum and A. ovis as a differential diagnosis. Ticks were collected from selected pastures and tested by qPCR. Most animals (n = 43) suffered from selenium deficiency and endoparasites were detected in each flock. Anaplasma spp. antibodies were deter-mined in 59% of examined sheep. Seventeen animals tested positive for A. phagocytophilum by qPCR from all flocks and A. phagocytophilum was also detected in eight pools of Ixodes ricinus. Anaplasma phagocytophilum isolates from sheep and ticks were genotyped using three genes (16S rRNA, msp4 and groEL). Anaplasma ovis DNA was identified in six animals from one flock. Clinical, hematological and biochemical changes were not significantly associated with Anaplasma spp. infection. The 16S rRNA analysis revealed known variants of A. phagocytophilum, whereas the msp4 and groEL showed new genotypes. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the dissemination and health impact of both pathogens in the German sheep population particularly in case of comorbidities. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | albumin; aspartate aminotransferase; bilirubin; creatine kinase; creatinine; glutamate dehydrogenase; megafluo vet; RNA 16S; adult; Anaplasma ovis; Anaplasma phagocytophilum; anemia; Article; atomic absorption spectrometry; biochemical analysis; blood biochemistry; blood level; blood smear; body constitution; body temperature; clinical examination; comorbidity; competitive ELISA; controlled study; Dermacentor marginatus; differential diagnosis; DNA extraction; endoparasite; eosinophilia; ewe; feces analysis; female; genotype; hematological parameters; hyperlipoproteinemia; hypoalbuminemia; immunofluorescence; infectious agent; Ixodes ricinus; leukocyte differential count; male; mean corpuscular hemoglobin; mean corpuscular volume; monocytopenia; nested polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; phylogeny; real time polymerase chain reaction; selenium blood level; selenium deficiency; sequence analysis; serology; sheep; tick infestation; wheezing | Dermacentor marginatus; Emerging diseases; Ixodes ricinus; One Health; Ovine anaplas-mosis; Sheep; Tick-borne fever |
| Global research activity on antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals | Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global challenge that requires a “One Health” approach to achieve better public health outcomes for people, animals, and the environment. Numerous bibliometric studies were published on AMR in humans. However, none was published in food-producing animals. The current study aimed at assessing and analyzing scientific publications on AMR in food-producing animals. Method: A validated search query was developed and entered in Scopus advanced search function to retrieve and quantitatively analyze relevant documents. Bibliometric indicators and mapping were presented. The study period was from 2000 to 2019. Results: The search query retrieved 2852 documents. During the period from 2015 to 2019, approximately 48% of the retrieved documents were published. The article about the discovery of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in pigs received the highest number of citations (n = 1970). The Journal of Food Protection (n = 123; 4.3%) ranked first in the number of publications while the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal ranked first in the number of citations per document. The USA led with 576 (20.2%) documents followed by China (n = 375; 13.1%). When the number of publications was standardized by income and population size, India (n = 51.5) ranked first followed by China (n = 38.3) and Brazil (n = 13.4). The growth of publications from China exceeded that of the USA in the last 3 years of the study period. Research collaboration in this field was inadequate. Mapping author keywords showed that E. coli, Salmonella, poultry, Campylobacter, chicken, cattle, and resistant genes were most frequent. The retrieved documents existed in five research themes. The largest research theme was about AMR in Salmonella in food-producing animals. The most recent research theme was about the dissemination and molecular transfer of AMR genes into the environment and among different bacterial strains. Conclusion: Hot spots of research on AMR in food-producing animals match the world regions of reported hot spots of AMR in animals. Research collaboration in this field is of great importance, especially with low- and middle-income countries. Data on AMR need to be collected nationally and internationally to implement the “One Health” approach in the fight against AMR. © 2021, The Author(s). | article; bacterial strain; Brazil; Campylobacter; chicken; China; colistin resistance; controlled study; environmental microbiology; India; middle income country; nonhuman; One Health; pig; plasmid; population size; poultry; quantitative analysis; Salmonella; Scopus; systematic review | Antimicrobial resistance; Bibliometric analysis; Food-producing animals; Scopus |
| Genetic characterizations of Cryptosporidium spp. from pet rodents indicate high zoonotic potential of pathogens from chinchillas | Cryptosporidium spp. are common protozoan pathogens in mammals. With pet rodents being integrated into modern life, the potential roles of them in transmitting parasites to humans need assessments. In the present study, we examined the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in pet rodents in Guangdong, south China. A total of 697 fecal samples were collected from 11 species of rodents in seven pet shops, one pet market and one farm. Cryptosporidium spp. were identified by PCR analysis of the small subunit rRNA gene. An overall infection rate of 36.9% (257/697) was obtained, with infection rates varying from 9.3% in chinchillas, 52.3% in guinea pigs, 57.1% in squirrels, to 68.4% in cricetid animals. Nine Cryptosporidium species and genotypes were identified, including C. wrairi (in 129 guinea pigs), C. andersoni (in 34 hamsters), C. homai (in 32 guinea pigs), Cryptosporidium hamster genotype (in 30 hamsters), C. ubiquitum (in 24 chinchillas and squirrels), C. parvum (in 2 chinchillas), Cryptosporidium ferret genotype (in 2 chipmunks), C. muris (in 1 hamster and 1 guinea pig), and Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype V (in 1 chinchilla and 1 chipmunk). Sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene identified three subtype families of C. ubiquitum, including family XIId in 15 chinchillas, XIIa in 5 chinchillas, and a new subtype family (XIIi) in 1 squirrel. The identification of C. parvum and C. ubiquitum in pet rodents suggests that these animals, especially chinchillas, could serve as reservoirs of human-pathogenic Cryptosporidium spp. Hygiene should be practiced in the rear and care of these animals, and One Health measures should be developed to reduce the occurrence of zoonotic Cryptosporidium infections due to contact with pet rodents. © 2021 The Author(s) | Article; China; chinchilla; controlled study; Cryptosporidium; Cryptosporidium andersoni; Cryptosporidium homai; Cryptosporidium muris; Cryptosporidium parvum; Cryptosporidium ubiquitum; Cryptosporidium wrairi; domestic animal; feces analysis; gene identification; genetic analysis; genotype; guinea pig; host pathogen interaction; infection rate; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; parasite identification; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; RNA analysis; rodent; Sciuridae; sequence analysis; species identification | Cryptosporidium; Molecular epidemiology; One health; Pet rodents; Zoonosis |
| Questioning the source of identified non-foodborne pathogens from food-contact wooden surfaces used in Hong Kong’s urban wet markets | In this study, a phylogenic analysis was performed on pathogens previously identified in Hong Kong wet markets’ cutting boards. Phylogenetic comparisons were made between phylotypes obtained in this study and environmental and clinical phylotypes for establishing the possible origin of selected bacterial species isolated from wet market cutting board ecosystems. The results reveal a strong relationship between wet market bacterial assemblages and environmental and clinically relevant phylotypes. However, our poor knowledge of potential cross-contamination sources within these wet markets is further exacerbated by failing to determine the exact or presumed origin of its identified pathogens. In this study, several clinically relevant bacterial pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus suis and Streptococcus porcinus were linked to cutting boards associated with pork; Campylobacter fetus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and A. caviae in those associated with poultry; and Streptococcus varanii, A. caviae, Vibrio fluvialis, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in those associated with seafood. Identifying non-foodborne clinically relevant pathogens in wet market cutting boards in this study confirms the need for safety approaches for wet market meat, including cold storage. The presented study justifies the need for future systematic epidemiological studies to determine identified microbial pathogens. Such studies should bring about significant improvements in the management of hygienic practices in Hong Kong’s wet markets and work towards a One Health goal by recognizing the importance of wet markets as areas interconnecting food processing with animal and clinical environments. © 2021 The Authors | article; Campylobacter fetus; contamination; controlled study; cryopreservation; ecosystem; Escherichia coli; food processing; Hong Kong; infectious agent; Klebsiella pneumoniae; nonhuman; One Health; pork; poultry; sea food; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus suis; Vibrio fluvialis; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; wet market | Hong Kong’s Wet market; Non-foodborne pathogens; Phylogenetic comparison; Wooden cutting board |
| Reduction trend of mcr-1 circulation in Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy | This study aims to describe trends of mcr-positive Enterobacterales in humans based on laboratory surveillance with a defined catchment population. The data source is the Micro-RER surveillance system, established in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), to monitor the trend of mcr resistance. Enterobacterales isolates from human clinical samples with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥ 2 mg/L for colistin were sent to the study reference laboratory for the detection of mcr genes. Isolates prospectively collected in the period 2018–2020 were considered for the assessment of population rates and trends; further analyses were carried out for the evaluation of clonality and horizontal mcr gene transfer. Previous isolates from local laboratory collection were also described. In the period 2018–2020, 1164 isolates were sent to the reference laboratory, and 51 (4.4%) were confirmed as mcr-positive: 50 mcr-1 (42 Escherichia coli, 6 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2 Salmonella enterica) and 1 mcr-4 (Enterobacter cloacae). The number of mcr-positive isolates dropped from 24 in the first half of 2018 to 3 in the whole of 2020 (trend p value < 0.001). Genomic analyses showed the predominant role of the horizontal transfer of mcr genes through plasmids or dissemination of transposable elements compared to clonal dissemination of mcr-positive microorganisms. The study results demonstrate a substantial decrease in the circulation of mcr-1 plasmid genes in Emilia-Romagna Region. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Proteins; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Enterobacteriaceae; Enterobacteriaceae Infections; Ethanolaminephosphotransferase; Humans; Italy; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Phylogeny; Retrospective Studies; beta lactamase AmpC; carbapenemase; colistin; extended spectrum beta lactamase; genomic DNA; antiinfective agent; bacterial protein; ethanolamine phosphotransferase; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial genome; clonal variation; colistin resistance; controlled study; Enterobacter cloacae; Enterobacterales; Escherichia coli; gene transfer; horizontal gene transfer; human; Italy; Klebsiella pneumoniae; laboratory based surveillance; laboratory test; mcr 1 gene; minimum inhibitory concentration; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; plasmid; prospective study; Salmonella enterica; transposon; whole genome sequencing; antibiotic resistance; classification; drug effect; Enterobacteriaceae; Enterobacteriaceae infection; enzymology; genetics; metabolism; microbial sensitivity test; microbiology; phylogeny; retrospective study | Antibiotic resistance; Antimicrobials for veterinary use; Clonal dissemination; Colistin; Enterobacterales; Horizontal transfer; Humans; Mcr; One Health approach |
| Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to bats – An Australian assessment | SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, infected over 100 million people globally by February 2021. Reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to other species has been documented in pet cats and dogs, big cats and gorillas in zoos, and farmed mink. As SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to known bat viruses, assessment of the potential risk of transmission of the virus from humans to bats, and its subsequent impacts on conservation and public health, is warranted. A qualitative risk assessment was conducted by a multi-disciplinary group to assess this risk in bats in the Australian context, with the aim of informing risk management strategies for human activities involving interactions with bats. The overall risk of SARS-CoV-2 establishing in an Australian bat population was assessed to be Low, however with a High level of uncertainty. The outcome of the assessment indicates that, for the Australian situation where the prevalence of COVID-19 in humans is very low, it is reasonable for research and rehabilitation of bats to continue, provided additional biosecurity measures are applied. Risk assessment is challenging for an emerging disease where information is lacking and the situation is changing rapidly; assessments should be revised if human prevalence or other important factors change significantly. The framework developed here, based on established animal disease risk assessment approaches adapted to assess reverse zoonotic transmission, has potential application to a range of wildlife species and situations. © 2021 | animal welfare; Article; Australian; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; human; nonhuman; outcome assessment; prevalence; qualitative analysis; risk assessment; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; virus transmission; zoonotic transmission | Bats; COVID-19; Disease risk assessment; One health; Reverse zoonosis; SARS-CoV-2; Wildlife; Zoonoses |
| Multisectoral cost analysis of a human and livestock anthrax outbreak in Songwe Region, Tanzania (December 2018–January 2019), using a novel Outbreak Costing Tool | Objectives: We applied a novel Outbreak Costing Tool (OCT), developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to estimate the costs of investigating and responding to an anthrax outbreak in Tanzania. We also evaluated the OCT’s overall utility in its application to a multisectoral outbreak response. Methods: We collected data on direct costs associated with a human and animal anthrax outbreak in Songwe Region (December 2018 to January 2019) using structured questionnaires from key-informants. We performed a cost analysis by entering direct costs data into the OCT, grouped into seven cost categories: labor, office, travel and transport, communication, laboratory support, medical countermeasures, and consultancies. Results: The total cost for investigating and responding to this outbreak was estimated at 102,232 United States dollars (USD), with travel and transport identified as the highest cost category (62,536 USD) and communication and consultancies as the lowest, with no expenditure, for the combined human and animal health sectors. Conclusions: Multisectoral investigation and response may become complex due to coordination challenges, thus allowing escalation of public health impacts. A standardized framework for collecting and analysing cost data is vital to understanding the nature of outbreaks, in anticipatory planning, in outbreak investigation and in reducing time to intervention. Pre-emptive use of the OCT will also reduce overall and specific (response period) intervention costs for the disease. Additional aggregation of the costs by government ministries, departments and tiers will improve the use of the tool to enhance sectoral budget planning for disease outbreaks in a multisectoral response. © 2021 The Author(s) | anthrax vaccine; antibiotic agent; adult; aged; anthrax; antibiotic prophylaxis; Article; child; chlorination; control strategy; cost benefit analysis; fatality; female; health care planning; health care utilization; health impact assessment; human; livestock; male; nonhuman; public health; quarantine; retrospective study; Tanzania | Anthrax; Cost analysis; Infectious disease outbreak; One Health; Outbreak Costing Tool; Tanzania |
| A CTSA One Health Alliance (COHA) survey of clinical trial infrastructure in North American veterinary institutions | While a necessary step toward enhancing rigor and reproducibility of veterinary clinical trials conducted on the translational spectrum includes understanding the current state of the field, no broad assessment of existing veterinary clinical trial resources has been previously conducted. Funded by a CTSA One Health Alliance (COHA) pilot award, the goal of this project was to conduct an electronic survey of North American Veterinary Colleges regarding practices in veterinary clinical trial review, approval, conduct, and support in order to identify opportunities to leverage existing resources and develop new ones to enhance the impact of veterinary and translational health research. A total of 30 institutions were invited to participate in the survey and the survey response rate was 73 %. The most common source of funding noted for veterinary clinical research was industry (33 %); however, respondents reported that only 5 % (3.7–11.0) of studies were FDA-regulated. Respondents indicated that most studies (80 %); conducted at their institution were single site studies. Study review and approval involved the IACUC either solely, or in combination with a hospital review board, at 95.5 % of institutions. Workforce training related to clinical research best practices was variable across institutions. Opportunities were identified to strengthen infrastructure through harmonization of clinical research review and approval practices. This might naturally lead to expansion of multi-site studies. Based on respondent feedback, future workforce development initiatives might center on training in the specifics of conducting FDA-sponsored research, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), clinical study budget design, grants management, adverse event reporting, study monitoring and use of electronic data capture platforms. © 2021, The Author(s). | Animals; Clinical Trials, Veterinary as Topic; One Health; Research; Schools, Veterinary; Surveys and Questionnaires; adult; article; awards and prizes; budget; clinical practice; clinical research; funding; human; One Health; veterinary clinical trial; workforce; animal; economics; One Health; questionnaire; research; school |
| Strengthening multisectoral coordination on antimicrobial resistance: a landscape analysis of efforts in 11 countries | Background: Increasingly, there has been recognition that siloed approaches focusing mainly on human health are ineffective for global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) containment efforts. The inherent complexities of AMR containment warrant a coordinated multisectoral approach. However, how to institutionalize a country’s multisectoral coordination across sectors and between departments used to working in silos is an ongoing challenge. This paper describes the technical approach used by a donor-funded program to strengthen multisectoral coordination on AMR in 11 countries as part of their efforts to advance the objectives of the Global Health Security Agenda and discusses some of the challenges and lessons learned. Methods: The program conducted a rapid situational analysis of the Global Health Security Agenda and AMR landscape in each country and worked with the governments to identify the gaps, priorities, and potential activities in multisectoral coordination on AMR. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint External Evaluation tool and the WHO Benchmarks for International Health Regulations (2005) Capacities as principal guidance, we worked with countries to achieve key milestones in enhancing effective multisectoral coordination on AMR. Results: The program’s interventions led to the achievement of key benchmarks recommended actions, including the finalization of national action plans on AMR and tools to guide their implementation; strengthening the leadership, governance, and oversight capabilities of multisectoral governance structures; establishing and improving the functions of technical working groups on infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship; and coordinating AMR activities within and across sectors. Conclusion: A lot of learning still needs to be done to identify best practices for building mutual trust and adequately balancing the priorities of individual ministries with cross-cutting issues. Nevertheless, this paper provides some practical ideas for countries and implementing partners seeking to improve multisectoral coordination on AMR. It also demonstrates that the WHO benchmark actions, although not intended as an exhaustive list of recommendations, provide adequate guidance for increasing countries’ capacity for effective multisectoral coordination on AMR in a standardized manner. © 2021, The Author(s). | achievement; adult; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; article; controlled study; government; human; infection prevention; international health regulation; leadership; learning; One Health; trust; World Health Organization | Antimicrobial resistance; Global Health Security Agenda; International Health Regulations; Joint external evaluation; Multisectoral coordination; One Health |
| Domestic cats as environmental lead sentinels in low-income populations: a One Health pilot study sampling the fur of animals presented to a high-volume spay/neuter clinic | Non-human animals serve as sentinels for numerous issues affecting humans, including exposure to toxic heavy metals like lead. Lead plays a role in perpetuating cycles of poverty in low-income communities due to the inequitable distributions of indoor health risks from lower-quality housing and outdoor health risks from industry and polluters, compounded by inequitable distributions of heath care and education. In this pilot study, we explore the potential for studying lead in low-income populations by partnering with nonprofit veterinary outreach programs. We investigate the lead concentration in fur samples of 85 domestic cats (Felis catus) presented to a high-volume spay/neuter clinic and report a mean of 0.723 μg of lead per gram of fur. This study reveals new information about lead exposure in cats in the USA, including that females had greater lead exposure than males, lead exposure increased with increasing amount of access to the outdoors, and lead exposure increased in cats with decreased body condition. We propose that pet, feral, and free-roaming cats presented to high-volume spay/neuter clinics could serve as a source of data about lead exposure in disadvantaged communities where these clinics already operate. Such a non-invasive surveillance system using inert, unobtrusively obtained samples could be deployed to detect highly exposed cats, prompting to follow up contact to a cat’s caretakers to recommend seeking lead testing for themselves, their families, and their neighbors. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. | Animals; Cats; Female; Housing; Lead; Male; One Health; Pilot Projects; Poverty; United States; Felis catus; lead; body condition; education; felid; health risk; heavy metal; low income population; animal; cat; female; housing; male; One Health; pilot study; poverty | Biomonitoring; Cats; Environmental justice; Fur; Lead; One Health |
| First neuroinvasive human case of West Nile Disease in Southern Italy: Results of the ‘One Health’ approach | Background: West Nile Disease (WND) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne infection involving viral pathogens, human and animal hosts, vectors and environment. Cooperation among medical, veterinary and entomological fields has been promoted by the Italian Public Health Authorities, and an integrated West Nile Virus (WNV) Surveillance Plan has been in force in Italy since 2016 to prevent the transmission risk of WND to humans through an early detection of viral circulation by animal and entomological surveillance. This managing model is unique in Europe. Objectives: This survey aimed at presenting the ‘One Health’ approach applied in 2016 to the first autochthonous human case of West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease (WNND) in Sicily (Southern Italy). Methods: Serological (anti-WNV IgM and IgG ELISA, anti-WNV neutralizing antibodies) and molecular tests were conducted on blood, liquor and urine of a 38-year-old man with encephalitis and meningitis. Overall, 2704 adult culicides from 160 mosquito catches were morphologically identified. Female mosquitoes were analysed in pools for WNV RNA detection. Serological (anti-WNV IgM and IgG ELISA) and molecular analyses for WNV were carried out in 11 horses, 271 chickens and two dogs sampled in farms around the man’s residence. Results and conclusions: WNND was confirmed by serological analysis on patient’s liquor and serum. Collected mosquito species included Culex pipiens (93.56%, CI95% 92.64%–94.49%), Aedes albopictus (5.25%, CI95% 4.41%–6.09%), Culex hortensis (0.59%, CI95% 0.30%–0.88%), Culiseta longiareolata (0.55%, CI95% 0.27%–0.83%) and Anopheles maculipennis s.l. (0.04%, CI95% –0.04% to 0.11%). Mosquito pools were negative for WNV RNA. Two dogs (100%) and two horses (18.18%, CI95% –4.61 to 40.97%) resulted positive for anti-WNV specific antibodies. The ‘One Health’ approach allowed to report the first human neuroinvasive WND in Sicily and to confirm the local circulation of WNV in animals of the same area where the clinical case occurred, defining the autochthonous origin of the infection. © 2021 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | Animals; Chickens; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Horse Diseases; Horses; Humans; Mosquito Vectors; One Health; West Nile Fever; West Nile virus; immunoglobulin G; immunoglobulin M; neutralizing antibody; virus RNA; adult; Aedes albopictus; animal experiment; animal tissue; Anopheles maculipennis; Article; blood analysis; case report; cerebrospinal fluid; chicken; clinical article; controlled study; Culex hortensis; Culex pipiens; Culiseta longiareolata; disease surveillance; dog; encephalitis; entomology; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; geographic distribution; horse; human; Italy; liquid; male; meningitis; middle aged; mosquito; multiplex polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; One Health; optical density; plaque reduction neutralization test; polymerase chain reaction; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; RNA extraction; serology; seroprevalence; urinalysis; virus isolation; West Nile neuroinvasive disease; West Nile virus; animal; dog disease; horse disease; mosquito vector; veterinary medicine; West Nile fever; West Nile virus | human case; Integrated Surveillance System; Italy; mosquito; West Nile Virus; ‘One Health’ |
| Pathogens Spillover from Honey Bees to Other Arthropods | Honey bees, and pollinators in general, play a major role in the health of ecosystems. There is a consensus about the steady decrease in pollinator populations, which raises global ecological concern. Several drivers are implicated in this threat. Among them, honey bee pathogens are transmitted to other arthropods populations, including wild and managed pollinators. The western honey bee, Apis mellifera, is quasi-globally spread. This successful species acted as and, in some cases, became a maintenance host for pathogens. This systematic review collects and summarizes spillover cases having in common Apis mellifera as the mainteinance host and some of its pathogens. The reports are grouped by final host species and condition, year, and geographic area of detection and the co-occurrence in the same host. A total of eighty-one articles in the time frame 1960–2021 were included. The reported spillover cases cover a wide range of hymenopteran host species, generally living in close contact with or sharing the same environmental resources as the honey bees. They also involve non-hymenopteran arthropods, like spiders and roaches, which are either likely or unlikely to live in close proximity to honey bees. Specific studies should consider host-dependent pathogen modifications and effects on involved host species. Both the plasticity of bee pathogens and the ecological consequences of spillover suggest a holistic approach to bee health and the implementation of a One Health approach. © 2021 by the authors. | Apis mellifera; arthropod; Article; bee disease; geographic distribution; honeybee; Hymenoptera; infectious agent; Linepithema humile; Nosema; Nosema apis; Nosema ceranae; One Health; pollinator; prevalence; Trypanosomatidae; virus transmission | Arthropods; Bacteria; Honey bee diseases; Hymenoptera; Inter-species transmission; Microsporidia; Nosema; Pathogens; Spillover; Trypanosomatids; Virus; Wild bees |
| Strategic Framework for One Health in India | The conscept of One Health is recognised as an interconnection between humans, animals and theirecosystem. It addresses the emergence of diseases, their consequences that originate at animal-human-environment interface and highlights the preventive actions that needs be enforced in a cost effective way. The emergence of severe, transmissible infectious diseases in 21st century at global level,put forth the implementation of One Health preparedness in India in order to detect and alert the outbreaks of national and international concern. The One Health preparedness in India can beframed based on Individual preparedness, Population based preparedness and third party based preparedness and can be successfully implemented in a collaborative manner with well defined preparedness methodologies within coordinated frameworks. © 2021 Indian Veterinary Assocaition. All rights reserved. | Article; health care; health preparedness; human; One Health | One Health; Preparedness; Strategies; Zoonotic |
| A one-health genomic investigation of gentamicin resistance in salmonella from human and chicken sources in Canada, 2014 to 2017 | We investigated whether the increased prevalence of gentamicin resistance in Salmonella from human infections was related to a similar increased prevalence in isolates from broiler chickens and whether this increase may have been due to coselection from use of lincomycin-spectinomycin in chickens on farms. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on gentamicin-resistant (Genr) Salmonella isolates from human and chicken sources collected from 2014 to 2017 by the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS). We determined the genomic relatedness of strains and characterized resistance genes and plasmids. From 2014 to 2017, 247 isolates of Genr Salmonella were identified by CIPARS: 188 were from humans, and 59 were from chicken sources (26 from live animals on farm and 33 from retail meat). The five most common Genr serovars were Salmonella enterica serovars Heidelberg (n = 93; 31.5%), 4,[5],12:i:2 (n = 42; 14.2%), Kentucky (n = 37; 12.5%), Infantis (n = 33; 11.2%), and Typhimurium (n = 23; 7.8%). Phylogenomic analysis revealed that for S. Heidelberg and S. Infantis, there were closely related isolates from human and chicken sources. In both sources, resistance to gentamicin and spectinomycin was most frequently conferred by aac(3)-VIa and ant(3″)-Ia, respectively. Plasmid closure confirmed linkages of gentamicin and spectinomycin resistance genes and revealed instances of similar plasmids from both sources. Gentamicin and spectinomycin resistance genes were linked on the same plasmids, and some plasmids and isolates from humans and chickens were genetically similar, suggesting that the use of lincomycin-spectinomycin in chickens may be selecting for gentamicin-resistant Salmonella in broiler chickens and that these resistant strains may be acquired by humans. © 2021 Crown copyright. The government of Australia, Canada. | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Canada; Chickens; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Genomics; Gentamicins; Humans; One Health; Salmonella; Salmonella enterica; aminoglycoside; amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; ampicillin; azithromycin; bacterial protein; beta lactam; cefoxitin; ceftriaxone; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; clavulanic acid; cotrimoxazole; gentamicin; kanamycin; lincomycin plus spectinomycin; mcr 1 protein; mcr 3.2 protein; methyltransferase; nalidixic acid; R factor; rmtb protein; RNA 16S; spectinomycin; streptomycin; sulfafurazole; tetracycline; unclassified drug; antiinfective agent; gentamicin; agricultural land; animal experiment; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial transmission; bacterium isolation; broiler; Canada; chicken; colistin resistance; controlled study; DNA extraction; genetic background; genetic linkage; genetic resistance; genomics; gentamicin resistance; human; Kentucky; meat; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; phylogenomics; plasmid; prevalence; Salmonella; Salmonella enterica; Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium; salmonellosis; serotype; whole genome sequencing; animal; genetics; genomics; multidrug resistance; Salmonella; Salmonella enterica | Aminoglycosides; Antimicrobial resistance; Genomics; Gentamicin; Poultry; Whole-genome sequencing |
| Fascioliasis in Llama, Lama glama, in andean endemic areas: Experimental transmission capacity by the high altitude snail vector galba truncatula and epidemiological analysis of its reservoir role | South American camelids are definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica. However, their capacity to participate in the transmission and epidemiology of fascioliasis has never been appropriately studied. Therefore, an F. hepatica isolate from Argentine llama is for the first time analyzed using Galba truncatula lymnaeids from Bolivia. Experimental follow-up studies included egg embryogen-esis, miracidial infection of lymnaeid snails, intramolluscan larval development, cercarial produc-tion, chronobiology of cercarial shedding, vector survival to infection, and metacercarial infectivity of mammal host. Shorter prepatent and patent periods were leading to markedly lower cercarial production, shorter cercarial shedding, and a higher negative impact on snail survival. The usually low liver fluke prevalences and intensities and low daily fecal outputs indicate that llamas do not substantially contribute to fascioliasis transmission. The defecating behavior in dung piles far from freshwater collections prevents lymnaeid infection by eggs shed by this camelid. All results suggest the reservoir role of the llama to be negligible and, therefore, no priority within control measures in endemic areas. However, llamas may play a disease-spreading role if used as pack animals in rural areas. In the Northern Bolivian Altiplano human hyperendemic area, neither llamas nor alpacas should be considered for control measures within a One Health action. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | alpaca; animal experiment; animal model; Argentina; Article; autopsy; Bolivia; chronobiology; controlled study; disease reservoir; disease transmission; embryo development; Fasciola hepatica; fascioliasis; feces analysis; Galba truncatula; hatching; larval development; llama; male; metacercaria; nonhuman; One Health; prevalence; rat; Schistosoma mansoni; seasonal variation | Andean fascioliasis endemic areas; Argentina; Bolivia; Experimental transmission; Fasciola hepatica; Field epidemiology; Galba truncatula; Llama; Reservoir role |
| Presumptive Zoonotic Kerion by Nannizzia gypsea: Case Report | Nannizzia gypsea (formerly Microsporum gypseum) belongs to geophilic dermatophytes, fungi involved in keratin degradation in the soil; however, they are also found in dogs and cats. Transmission to humans can occur directly by contact with soil, but indirect transmission via domestic animals is reported too. The exact source of the infection is usually difficult to assess and in most cases only hypothesised and rarely investigated. This case report describes a kerion caused by N. gypsea in a 2-year-old boy, where the contagion was probably secondary to domestic healthy carrier dogs. A “One-Health” approach involving human dermatologists and veterinarians, combined with the use of conventional and molecular-based techniques, allowed tracing of the epidemiological chain and managing of not only the treatment but also the prevention of a recurrence. The child’s lesion began to regress after about 8 weeks of treatment with both systemic and topical therapy, while the dogs were given chlorhexidine and miconazole baths. No recurrences nor new infections occurred, demonstrating the effectiveness of the strategies used. © Copyright © 2021 Cruciani, Papini, Broccatelli, Agnetti, Spina, Natalini and Crotti. | amikacin; chlorhexidine; ciclopirox; diflucortolone valerate; fluconazole; fungal DNA; griseofulvin; hyalin; hydrocortisone butyrate; isoconazole; miconazole; milcast; terbinafine; antifungal therapy; Arthroderma gypseum; Article; case report; child; clinical article; fungus hyphae; human; kerion; male; One Health; preschool child; systemic therapy; topical treatment | case report; child; dog; kerion; Nannizzia gypsea |
| New Dimensions of Infectious Disease Emergence: A Viewpoint | Infectious agents of human and animal diseases are a cause of great concern worldwide. Pathogens are constantly changing their genetic make-up under a wide range of evolutionary pressures, stressors, competitors, host restriction elements, etc. The pace of emergence and re-emergence of pathogens has increased during past few decades. The global warming, the synthetic biology, and the disturbed microbiomes have added new dimensions to fuel the emergence of infectious diseases in recent times. Unfortunately, unchecked anthropogenic activities continue to contribute to these new dimensions. Preparedness for future would require resilient health system, technologically advanced tools, and better adapted public health interventions in One Health frame for the globalized world. © 2021 Indian Veterinary Assocaition. All rights reserved. | Article; greenhouse effect; health care; human; infection; infectious agent; microbiome; nonhuman; One Health; public health; synthetic biology | disturbed microbiomes; Emergence of infectious diseases; global warming; synthetic biology |
| Social Sciences in One Health: Insights From Multiple Worlds Perspectives on the Dam Rupture in Brumadinho-Brazil | Concepts that integrate human, animal, and ecosystem health – such as One Health (OH) – have been highlighted in recent years and mobilized in transdisciplinary approaches. However, there is a lack of input from the social sciences in OH discussions. This is a gap to overcome, including in Latin America. Therefore, this paper incorporates recent studies from economics and anthropology to the debate, contributing to the opening of transdisciplinary dialogues for the elaboration of OH theory and practice. As a starting point, we explore the recent case of a tailings dam breach, making considerations about how and why this event was experienced in different ways by the affected Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds. From economics, we show how different theories perceive and impact these different worlds, presenting some existing alternatives to the hegemonic thinking of domination and exploitation. From anthropology, we present the perspectivism concept, deriving from the field of relational ontologies, suggesting there are significant and inevitable disagreements-equivocations-among different worlds. Thus, we discuss how the social sciences can help address challenging factors that need to be considered in health approaches that intend to deal with complex global problems. In conclusion, OH should incorporate social science discussions, considering relating practice to the multiple realities in which a particular problem or conflict is inserted. Overcoming the barriers that hinder transdisciplinary dialogue is fundamental and urgent for an effective approach to the multiple and distinct interconnections among humans, animals and environments. © Copyright © 2021 Brandão, Sussai, Germine, Eltz and Araújo. | Animals; Brazil; Ecosystem; Humans; One Health; Problem Solving; Social Sciences; animal; Brazil; ecosystem; human; One Health; problem solving; sociology | alternative economy; equivocations; extractivism; Indigenous worlds; one health; perspectivism; pluriverse; transdisciplinarity |
| Assessing visitor use impact on antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in soil and water environments of Rocky Mountain National Park | Antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been detected in soil and water in close proximity to anthropogenic sources, but the extent to which human impact plays into ARB and ARGs entering the environment is not well described. This study aimed to determine the impact of visitor use on ARB and ARGs in a national park environment. Soil (n = 240) and water (n = 210) samples were collected across a gradient of human activity in Rocky Mountain National Park and analyzed for bacteria resistant to doxycycline, levofloxacin, and vancomycin. Amount of physical effort required to access a sampling site was used as a metric for the likelihood of human presence. A subset of samples was analyzed for the presence and abundance of six ARGs using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that anthropogenic factors including hiking effort and proximity to a toilet significantly contributed to the variance of the abundance of ARB for multiple antibiotics in soil and water. Additionally, ecological factors such as water movement, soil texture, and season may play a role in the detection of ARB and ARGs. Predictive analysis suggests that both human presence and human activities, such as waste elimination, significantly contributed to the abundance of ARB in soil and water. The results of this work evidence that the ecology of antibiotic resistance in remote environments is more complex than anthropogenic impact alone, necessitating further environmental characterization of ARB and ARGs. © 2021 Elsevier B.V. | Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Genes, Bacterial; Humans; Parks, Recreational; Soil; Waste Water; Water; Colorado; Rocky Mountain National Park; United States; Bacteria; Ecology; Genes; Parks; Polymerase chain reaction; Regression analysis; Soils; Textures; antibiotic agent; doxycycline; levofloxacin; vancomycin; water; angiotensin receptor antagonist; antiinfective agent; dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase inhibitor; water; Antibiotic resistance genes; Antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Bacteria resistance; Environmental medium; Human activities; National parks; One health; Remote environment; Rocky Mountain National Park; Soil and water; abundance; anthropogenic effect; antibiotic resistance; bacterium; gene; national park; soil quality; water quality; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistance gene; antibiotic resistant bacterium; aquatic environment; Article; bacterium; controlled study; gene; human; human activities; linear regression analysis; national park; nonhuman; population abundance; prediction; real time polymerase chain reaction; season; soil; soil texture; waste management; water flow; antibiotic resistance; bacterial gene; bacterium; genetics; recreational park; wastewater; Antibiotics | Antibiotic resistance genes; Antibiotic resistant bacteria; Environmental media; National park; One health; Remote environments |
| Predicting uptake of a malignant catarrhal fever vaccine by pastoralists in northern Tanzania: Opportunities for improving livelihoods and ecosystem health | Malignant Catarhal Fever (MCF), caused by a virus transmitted from asymptomatic wildebeest, is a lethal disease in cattle that threatens livestock-based livelihoods and food security in many areas of Africa. Many herd owners reduce transmission risks by moving cattle away from infection hot-spots, but this imposes considerable economic burdens on their households. The advent of a partially-protective vaccine for cattle opens up new options for disease prevention. In a study of pastoral households in northern Tanzania, we use stated preference choice modelling to investigate how pastoralists would likely respond to the availability of such a vaccine. We show a high probability of likely vaccine uptake by herd owners, declining at higher vaccine costs. Acceptance increases with more efficaceous vaccines, in situations where vaccinated cattle are ear-tagged, and where vaccine is delivered through private vets. Through analysis of Normalized Density Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, we show that the reported MCF incidence over 5 years is highest in areas where the mean and interannual varibility in vegetative greeness is relatively low and where herds sizes are smaller. Trends towards lower rainfall and greater landscape-level constraints on cattle movement suggest that MCF avoidance through traditional movement away from wildebeest will become more challenging and that demand for an MCF vaccine will likely increase. © 2021 The Authors | Tanzania; ecosystem health; food security; livelihood; NDVI; pastoralism; prediction; vaccine; virus | Choice Modelling; Human/Wildlife Conflicts; Livestock Diseases; One Health; Tanzania; Vaccines |
| Prevalence of multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas spp. isolated from wild bird feces in an urban aquatic environment | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been detected in the microbiota of wildlife, yet little is known about the origin and impact within the ecosystem. Due to the shortage of nonepizootic surveillance, there is limited understanding of the natural prevalence and circulation of AMR bacteria in the wild animal population, including avian species. In this surveillance study, feces from wild birds in proximity to the River Cam, Cambridge, England, were collected and Pseudomonas spp. were isolated. Of the 115 samples collected, 24 (20.9%; 95% CI, 12.6%‒29.2%) harbored Pseudomonas spp. of which 18 (75%; 95% CI, 58%‒92%) had a multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index greater than 0.2. No Pseudomonas spp. isolate in this study was pansusceptible. Resistance was found among the 24 isolates against ciprofloxacin (87.5%; 95% CI, 74.3%‒100%) and cefepime (83.3%; 95% CI, 68.4%‒98.2%), both of which are extensively used to treat opportunistic Pseudomonas spp. infections. The prevalence of Pseudomonas spp. in the wild bird feces sampled during this study is greater than previous, similar studies. Additionally, their multidrug resistance profile provides insight into the potential risk for ecosystem contamination. It further highlights the importance of a One Health approach, including ongoing surveillance efforts that help to develop the understanding of how wildlife, including avifauna, may contribute and disperse AMR across the ecosystem. © 2021 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | antimicrobial resistance; epidemiological studies; one health; Pseudomonas spp.; wild birds |
| COVID-19 and future pandemics: a global systems approach and relevance to SDGs | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is adversely impacting modern human civilization. A global view using a systems science approach is necessary to recognize the close interactions between health of animals, humans and the environment. Discussion: A model is developed initially by describing five sequential or parallel steps on how a RNA virus emerged from animals and became a pandemic: 1. Origins in the animal kingdom; 2. Transmission to domesticated animals; 3. Inter-species transmission to humans; 4. Local epidemics; 5. Global spread towards a pandemic. The next stage identifies global level determinants from the physical environments, the biosphere and social environment that influence these steps to derive a generic conceptual model. It identifies that future pandemics are likely to emerge from ecological processes (climate change, loss of biodiversity), anthropogenic social processes (i.e. corporate interests, culture and globalization) and world population growth. Intervention would therefore require modifications or dampening these generators and prevent future periodic pandemics that would reverse human development. Addressing issues such as poorly planned urbanization, climate change and deforestation coincide with SDGs such as sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11), climate action (Goal 13) and preserving forests and other ecosystems (Goal 15). This will be an added justification to address them as global priorities. Some determinants in the model are poorly addressed by SDGs such as the case of population pressures, cultural factors, corporate interests and globalization. The overarching process of globalization will require modifications to the structures, processes and mechanisms of global governance. The defects in global governance are arguably due to historical reasons and the neo-liberal capitalist order. This became evident especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 when the vaccination roll-out led to violations of universal values of equity and right to life by some of the powerful and affluent nations. Summary: A systems approach leads us to a model that shows the need to tackle several factors, some of which are not adequately addressed by SDGs and require restructuring of global governance and political economy. © 2021, The Author(s). | COVID-19; Global Health; Humans; Pandemics; Sustainable Development; Systems Analysis; RNA viruses; COVID-19; disease control; disease incidence; disease spread; disease transmission; environmental economics; epidemic; future prospect; global perspective; governance approach; pandemic; political economy; Sustainable Development Goal; vaccination; Article; biodiversity; city planning; climate change; coronavirus disease 2019; cultural factor; deforestation; disease transmission; economic aspect; environmental factor; epidemiological data; human; nonhuman; One Health; organismal interaction; pandemic; population growth; social determinants of health; social environment; sustainable development; vaccination; virus transmission; global health; pandemic; prevention and control; sustainable development; system analysis | Covid-19; Global governance; Pandemics; Political economy; SDGs; Systems |
| Evaluating Integrated Surveillance for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in England: A Qualitative Study | Integrated surveillance systems for antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) require regular evaluation to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. An important step in the evaluation is to choose an appropriate tool for the purpose of the evaluation. The “Integrated Surveillance System Evaluation” (ISSE) framework is a conceptual framework that was developed to evaluate One Health (OH) integration in surveillance system for AMU/AMR. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and value of integrated surveillance system for AMU/AMR in England by applying the ISSE framework, which was used to develop data collection protocols and define the study design. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted to collect the data and analyse it thematically. Eighteen stakeholders from human, animal, food and environment sectors that are involved in AMU/AMR surveillance were interviewed. Four main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Cross-sectoral integration in the surveillance system for AMU/AMR; (2) Production of OH outputs and outcomes; (3) Drivers and barriers to cross-sectoral collaboration; and 4) Need for more cross-sectoral collaboration. The findings showed that there were links between integrated surveillance information, decision making and interventions. However, there were only few OH examples, such as the UK AMR contingency plan, where the potential of cross-sectoral collaboration was fully exploited. A lot of the benefits described were related to the generation of information and increase in knowledge and understanding without links to how the information generated was used. While these intangible benefits have a value on their own, being able to link surveillance information and mitigation measures would help to enhance the value of integrated surveillance. In terms of improvement, the main areas identified were the development of more harmonised methods for data collection and analysis, provision of resources dedicated to cross-sectoral collaboration, improved coordination, and collection of surveillance data from the environment and from companion animals. By identifying links between OH surveillance information produced and various outputs and outcomes; this study helped to understand the wider benefits of integrated surveillance for AMU/AMR in England and provided insights on how the system could be improved and efficiency increased. Copyright © 2021 Bennani, Cornelsen, Stärk and Häsler. | antiinfective agent; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; awareness; conceptual framework; environmental surveillance; evidence based medicine; funding; global health; health care surveillance; human; information dissemination; information processing; integrated health care system; integration; interpersonal communication; intersectoral collaboration; medical decision making; medical information; medical research; multidisciplinary team; nonhuman; One Health; pet animal; public health message; qualitative research; regionalization; resource management; resource shortage; risk assessment; risk evaluation and mitigation strategy; risk management; semi structured interview; thematic analysis | antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial use; evaluation; integrated surveillance; One Health |
| Using a One Health approach to prioritize zoonotic diseases in China, 2019 | Background China is vulnerable to zoonotic disease transmission due to a large agricultural work force, sizable domestic livestock population, and a highly biodiverse ecology. To better address this threat, representatives from the human, animal, and environmental health sectors in China held a One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) workshop in May 2019 to develop a list of priority zoonotic diseases for multisectoral, One Health collaboration. Methods Representatives used the OHZDP Process, developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), to prioritize zoonotic diseases for China. Representatives defined the criteria used for prioritization and determined questions and weights for each individual criterion. A review of English and Chinese literature was conducted prior to the workshop to collect disease specific information on prevalence, morbidity, mortality, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) from China and the Western Pacific Region for zoonotic diseases considered for prioritization. Results Thirty zoonotic diseases were evaluated for prioritization. Criteria selected included: 1) disease hazard/severity (case fatality rate) in humans, 2) epidemic scale and intensity (in humans and animals) in China, 3) economic impact, 4) prevention and control, and 5) social impact. Disease specific information was obtained from 792 articles (637 in English and 155 in Chinese) and subject matter experts for the prioritization process. Following discussion of the OHZDP Tool output among disease experts, five priority zoonotic diseases were identified for China: avian influenza, echinococcosis, rabies, plague, and brucellosis. Conclusion Representatives agreed on a list of five priority zoonotic diseases that can serve as a foundation to strengthen One Health collaboration for disease prevention and control in China; this list was developed prior to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Next steps focused on establishing a multisectoral, One Health coordination mechanism, improving multisectoral linkages in laboratory testing and surveillance platforms, creating multisectoral preparedness and response plans, and increasing workforce capacity. Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. | Animals; China; Consensus Development Conferences as Topic; Humans; Zoonoses; Article; avian influenza; brucellosis; case fatality rate; China; disability-adjusted life year; disaster preparedness; disaster response; disease severity; echinococcosis; economics; epidemic; hazard; health workforce; human; infection control; infection prevention; Japanese encephalitis; morbidity; mortality; nonhuman; One Health; plague; prevalence; rabies; social aspect; workshop; zoonosis; animal; consensus development; zoonosis |
| Nutritional value, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of micro- and macroalgae, single or blended, unravel their potential use for aquafeeds | Algae are natural products with great potential as aquafeed ingredients, being rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. They can improve fish health while being sustainable at social, economic, and environmental levels, contributing to the one health concept. In this study, two micro- (Nannochloropsis oceanica and Chlorella vulgaris) and two macroalgae (Gracilaria gracilis and Ulva rigida), produced under commercial conditions, were selected to unravel their nutritional value (protein and lipid content; fatty acid and amino acid profiles), as well as antimicrobial activity against farmed fish and shrimp pathogenic bacteria and bioactive potential by assessing ABTS+• and DPPH• scavenging capacities. A commercial blend of these algae (ALGAESSENCE™—Feed) was included to determine possible synergistic effects. Nannochloropsis oceanica was rich in eicosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic acid (ARA) and G. gracilis had high content of ARA. Chlorella vulgaris had the highest levels of essential amino acids (EAAs), namely lysine. The blend is a well-balanced and rich source of proteins, lipids, essential fatty acids, EAAs and carbohydrates. The single algae and the blend displayed bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities against most of the tested pathogenic bacteria, with the most promising results being observed against Tenacibaculum maritimum (40–45% activity). In some cases, the micro- and macroalgae had no simultaneous bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities, but the blend was able to both kill and inhibit the growth of those bacteria. The algae had also some antioxidant activity, with G. gracilis and the blend presenting the highest values. The present results showcased the blend as a promising ingredient to be included in aquafeeds. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. | Bioactive potential; Functional feeds; Microalgae; One health; Seaweeds; Sustainable marine products |
| Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Pakistan: a neglected disease needing one health strategy | Background: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease, which mainly affects poor communities. It is one of the major vector-borne disease and endemic in Pakistan. Methods: A case-control study to evaluate potential risk factors of human-CL was conducted in Khewra region, District Jhelum, Pakistan from January–April 2014. Case data about 90 cases registered during October 2012 to November 2013 was retrieved from Municipal Hospital. Controls were matched (1,1 ratio) on the date of registration with cases from same hospital. Both cases and controls were invited to participate and data was collected in a face-to-face interview. A prospective study of canine leishmaniasis (canine-CL) was also conducted at Civil Veterinary Hospital in the same area. Suspected dogs with skin ulceration signs were included in the study and blood samples were collected. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine association between various parameters and outcome of interest. Results: The ages of cases ranged from 1 to 76 years (median = 15 years) and proved to be protective factor i.e. increase in each year in age reduced the likelihood of being infected with human-CL [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.4, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.25–0.76]. People sleeping outsides in an open area were more likely to become a case (OR = 8.7, 95% CI = 2.90–26.37) than a control. Poor sanitary condition inside the house (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.03–10.56) and presence of other animals in house (livestock, poultry) (OR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.07–12.12) also identified as risk factors of high significance. The proportion of positive dogs with canine-CL was 21.05% and was significantly associated with human-CL cases in the same area (p < 0.05). Conclusions: We concluded that adopting self-protections measures against sand-fly, and maintaining good hygiene may lower the risk of human-CL. One-Health Strategy is suggested to control leishmaniasis in human and dog population. © 2021, The Author(s). | Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Animals; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Dogs; Female; Humans; Infant; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Male; Middle Aged; Neglected Diseases; One Health; Pakistan; Prospective Studies; Protective Factors; Psychodidae; Risk Factors; Sanitation; alopecia; animal experiment; animal model; Article; brachial vein; case control study; controlled study; cutaneous leishmaniasis; data analysis; dermatitis; disease transmission; dog; human; hygiene; information processing; ingestion; injury; interview; Leishmania; leishmaniasis; livestock; medical record; neglected disease; nonhuman; Phlebotominae; poultry; prospective study; questionnaire; risk factor; scar formation; seroprevalence; skin defect; skin ulcer; sleep; statistical analysis; tropical disease; urban hospital; veterinary clinic; visceral leishmaniasis; adolescent; adult; age distribution; aged; animal; child; female; infant; male; middle aged; neglected disease; One Health; Pakistan; preschool child; protection; Psychodidae; sanitation; skin leishmaniasis; veterinary medicine | Case-control; Cutaneous; Leishmaniasis; Pakistan; Risk factors; Sand-fly; Vector-borne; Zoonosis |
| Brief Research Report: Veterinary Student Perspective on COVID-19 and Veterinary Medicine | COVID-19 has had significant effects on the field of veterinary medicine. Adaptation to pandemic-related and post-pandemic challenges requires engagement from all levels of the professional pipeline, including veterinary college students. Insights gained from this group may inform curriculum design, help the veterinary profession innovate, maximize opportunities for positive change, and avoid negative outcomes. The current study aimed to understand the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on veterinary medicine, as foreseen by second-year veterinary students in an online discussion during a public health course in the spring of 2020. Twenty-one percent of the 113 students agreed to participate in this qualitative research study. We used an inductive coding process and distilled the student responses into descriptive themes to capture diverse perspectives and understand possible post-pandemic pathways for the veterinary profession. Four themes emerged from the student discussion posts, describing how veterinarians might be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) economic and social impacts, (2) adapting to challenges, (3) collaborations to improve public health, and (4) disparities and diversity. These themes are a starting point for discussion and innovation as veterinarians plan for the post-pandemic world; further investigation will provide additional guidance for veterinary leaders. © Copyright © 2021 Limper, Hinckley-Boltax and Cazer. | adult; Article; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; economic aspect; female; human; major clinical study; male; pandemic; qualitative research; social aspect; student attitude; veterinarian; veterinary medicine; veterinary student | content analysis; COVID-19; one health; veterinary medicine; veterinary student |
| Prevalence of Blastocystis infection in free-range Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China | Blastocystis is one of the most common enteric parasites in humans and domestic animals. For Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats, the traditional grazing methods still occupy a dominant position, and the close contact between humans and domestic animals increases the risk of infection by Blastocystis between herdsmen and livestock. However, less pertinent information is available for Tibetan sheep or Tibetan goats. In this study, 880 fecal specimens from Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats were collected from 6 sampling sites in Tibet to test for Blastocystis using the polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis of the partial SSU rRNA gene. The infection rate of Blastocystis was 8.55% for Tibetan sheep (53/620) and 8.46% for Tibetan goats (22/260). The genetic analysis of 53 positive samples from Tibetan sheep identified 4 known subtypes (ST4, ST5, ST10, and ST14). Four known subtypes (ST1, ST5, ST6, and ST10) were identified in Tibetan goats. ST10 was the dominant subtype in Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats, accounting for 65.33% (49/75) of total subtypes. ST1, ST4, ST5, and ST6 were recognized as belonging to zoonotic subtypes. This report provides a detailed data on the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis in Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats in Tibet, which enriches the epidemiological data of Blastocystis infection in Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats in China. Our results indicated that Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goats can be infected with multiple Blastocystis subtypes, including zoonotic subtypes. More research is needed among humans, livestock and wild animals in Tibet to better understand their role in the spread of Blastocystis. And, One Health measures need to be taken to control and prevent its zoonotic transmission. © 2021 | small subunit ribosomal RNA; animal experiment; Article; bacterial zoonosis; blastocystosis; China; controlled study; disease transmission; DNA extraction; feces analysis; genetic analysis; genotype; goat; infection control; infection rate; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; One Health; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; sequence analysis; sheep | Blastocystis; Goat; Sheep; Subtype; Tibet |
| On-Call Duties: The Perceived Impact on Veterinarians’ Job Satisfaction, Well-Being and Personal Relationships | Objective: To assess the impact of on-call duties on veterinarians’ job satisfaction, well-being and personal relationships. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Sample: The sample was obtained from Veterinary Information Network (VIN) members in private practice within the United States. Procedures: A link to an anonymous online survey was distributed via an email invitation to all Veterinary Information Network (VIN) members with access from August 15, 2017 to October 21, 2017. Results: A total of 1,945 responses were recorded. The majority of those who reported having on-call duties were female associates. Composite scales were created to assess the impact of on-call shifts on job satisfaction and well-being. Multiple linear regression was conducted and found that gender (p = 0.0311), associate status (p < 0.0001), and age (p = 0.0293) were all significantly associated with on-call related job satisfaction. Additionally, multiple linear regression found that gender (p = 0.0039), associate status (p < 0.0057), and age (p < 0.0001) were all significantly associated with on-call related well-being. On-call shifts were reported by many to have a negative impact on job satisfaction and well-being; this was especially pronounced for female associates. Females had on-call related job satisfaction scores that were, on average, 1.27 points lower than that of males (lower scores equates to lower job satisfaction). Further, females’ average on-call related well-being scores were 1.15 points higher than that of males (lower scores equates to higher well-being). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This study suggests that on-call shifts have a negative impact on veterinarian job satisfaction, well-being and personal relationships. The negative impact on job satisfaction and well-being is greatest for female associates. Veterinary medicine has been identified as a stressful occupation that can lead to psychological distress. It is therefore important to critically assess current practices that appear to increase stress and reduce emotional well-being. For this reason, it is suggested that veterinary hospitals explore alternative options to traditional on-call shifts. © Copyright © 2021 Kogan, Schoenfeld-Tacher, Carney, Hellyer and Rishniw. | adult; article; clinical article; controlled study; e-mail; economics; emotional well-being; female; gender; human; job satisfaction; male; mental stress; occupation; occupational health; private practice; public health; quality of life; United States; veterinary clinic | economics; occupational health and safety; one health; public health and regulatory medicine; quality of life |
| Leptospira spp. In Naturally Infected Dairy Cow from a Brazilian Border Region | Leptospirosis is an important infectious disease, which can generate large economic losses, especially in the dairy herd. The pathogen that causes this disease may have its entry in Brazilian herds facilitated by the existence of a large extension of land borders. Therefore, the objective of this work was to investigate the presence of DNA and antibodies against Leptospira spp. in samples of vaginal mucus and serum from naturally infected bovine females from small rural dairy farms in a border region. Blood and vaginal mucus samples were collected from 70 Holstein cows, from small rural dairy farms between October 2017 and June 2018. The inclusion criteria for dairy cattle of any breed were aged over 2 years, not vaccinated against leptospirosis, and presenting a history of any reproductive problem such as abortion, stillbirth, repetition of heat, absence of heat, and lack of conception. Blood was collected by puncturing the coccygeal vein; for the collection of vaginal mucus, it was necessary to use a tampon with an applicator. For the detection of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies, the sera were submitted to microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and, for DNA detection, the vaginal mucus was submitted to the PCR technique. Among the 70 cows, 42.86% had reagents in MAT and the most likely serovar was Wolffi (43.47%). In 74.28% of the vaginal mucus samples, it was possible to amplify the Leptospira spp. DNA. The results of this work show the presence of Leptospira spp. antibodies and DNA in samples of serum and vaginal mucus from naturally infected bovine females from small rural dairy farms in a border region (Brazil × Paraguay). These results demonstrate the importance of considering bovine females as potential vaginal carriers of Leptospira spp. Thus, it highlights the importance of further studies to better understanding of this issue, in addition to carrying out molecular and serological tests, to monitor the infection and further characterize epidemiological studies of leptospirosis in herds from regions that face this international frontier challenge. © Copyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2021. | Abortion, Veterinary; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Brazil; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Female; Leptospira; Leptospirosis; Pregnancy; ribonuclease; bacterium antibody; abortion; agglutination test; animal experiment; Article; blood sampling; Brazilian; conception; controlled study; dairy cattle; female; Holstein cattle; Leptospira; leptospirosis; medical history; nonhuman; serology; stillbirth; ultraviolet radiation; vagina mucosa; animal; bovine; Brazil; cattle disease; leptospirosis; pregnancy; veterinary abortion; veterinary medicine | bovines; diagnosis; leptospirosis; one health; vaginal fluid |
| Evaluation of a multi-species SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization test | Assays to measure SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies are important to monitor seroprevalence, to study asymptomatic infections and to reveal (intermediate) hosts. A recently developed assay, the surrogate virus-neutralization test (sVNT) is a quick and commercially available alternative to the “gold standard” virus neutralization assay using authentic virus, and does not require processing at BSL-3 level. The assay relies on the inhibition of binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the spike (S) protein to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) by antibodies present in sera. As the sVNT does not require species- or isotype-specific conjugates, it can be similarly used for antibody detection in human and animal sera. In this study, we used 298 sera from PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients and 151 sera from patients confirmed with other coronavirus or other (respiratory) infections, to evaluate the performance of the sVNT. To analyze the use of the assay in a One Health setting, we studied the presence of RBD-binding antibodies in 154 sera from nine animal species (cynomolgus and rhesus macaques, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, cats, cattle, mink and dromedary camels). The sVNT showed a moderate to high sensitivity and a high specificity using sera from confirmed COVID-19 patients (91.3% and 100%, respectively) and animal sera (93.9% and 100%), however it lacked sensitivity to detect low titers. Significant correlations were found between the sVNT outcomes and PRNT50 and the Wantai total Ig and IgM ELISAs. While species-specific validation will be essential, our results show that the sVNT holds promise in detecting RBD-binding antibodies in multiple species. © 2021 The Author(s) | coronavirus spike glycoprotein; neutralizing antibody; recombinant angiotensin converting enzyme 2; SARS-CoV-2 antibody; antibody combining site; antibody detection; antibody titer; Article; bovine; cat; cohort analysis; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; correlational study; dromedary; gold standard; hamster; human; intermethod comparison; Leporidae; lung infection; Macaca fascicularis; Mustela putorius furo; Neovison vison; nonhuman; One Health; sensitivity analysis; sensitivity and specificity; serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; species differentiation; validation process; virus neutralization | Animal sera; Neutralizing antibodies; SARS-CoV-2; Serology; Surrogate virus neutralization test |
| What evidence exists on the impact of specific ecosystem components and functions on infectious diseases? A systematic map | Background: The control and prevention of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases is often based on the reduction of host or vector populations, involving but not limited to preventative culling and use of insecticides. Yet, destructive interventions such as these have shown several limitations including ineffectiveness on arthropods and negative impacts on ecosystems. An alternative strategy would be to rely on the natural ecosystem functions and their careful management to regulate such diseases. The goal of our work was to evaluate existing scientific evidence on potential links between ecosystem components/functions and 14 vector-borne and zoonotic diseases impacting human health and answer the question: “What evidence exists on the impact of specific ecosystem components and functions on infectious diseases?”. Methods: We searched for scientific articles published in English and French and screened them in a 3-round process (title, abstract and full-text). Articles were retained, without any geographical limitation, if they matched the following eligibility criteria: an exposure/intervention linked to changes in biological communities, habitats, or landscapes; an outcome consisting of any measure of infection in vector, animal or human hosts; and the presence of a comparator, in time and/or in space. The results are presented as a systematic map, followed by a narrative review where the amount of papers allowed for synthesis. Results: Searches in 5 scientific publication databases allowed to retrieve 9723 unique articles, among which 207 were retained after the screening process. The amount of relevant literature was highly variable depending on diseases, and the types of exposures also varied greatly among studies focusing on the same disease. A hundred articles presented in the map were unique in their “disease x exposure” combination and thus not eligible for further narrative description. The remaining 107 articles were organized in 34 “disease x exposure” groups, encompassing 9 out of the 14 initial diseases. The groups were composed of 2 to 16 articles and were examined to provide a description of the current state of knowledge for those diseases. Conclusion: Studies investigating the interaction between infectious diseases and ecosystems components and functions are still very scarce, and certain diseases are much more studied than others. Out of 14 diseases, 8 generated less than 10 relevant articles, while 2 diseases (Lyme disease and West Nile disease) represented 44% of all relevant studies. Although several vector-borne diseases included in the review represent a major health issue in the world, such as malaria or dengue, they have been exclusively studied under the prism of land-use, and we were unable to find relevant studies that tested the regulatory role of animal biodiversity-related functions. The role of predation in the regulation of vector and host populations has rarely been studied, with the exception of schistosomiasis. The dilution and amplification effects were addressed in several studies focusing on the composition of ecological communities. This map is a first step and could be upgraded in order to guide future research projects with the aim to conduct meta-analysis and build a robust evidence base to inform decision-making. © 2021, The Author(s). | Biodiversity; Dilution effect; Ecological control; Ecosystem services; Landscape; One Health |
| An epidemiological study of Streptococcus suis prevalence among swine at industrial swine farms in Northern Vietnam | Introduction: Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen found in swine that may cause systemic infection in humans. S. suis is endemic in Southeast Asia and is the leading cause of adult meningitis in Vietnam. Given Vietnam’s increasing centralization of the swine industry, we sought to estimate the prevalence of S. suis on large swine farms in Northern Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional, one-health-oriented, surveillance study for S. suis was conducted between October 2019–March 2020. Swine oral, swine worker nasal, and bioaerosol samples were collected from four large-scale swine farms (>500 swine) in three provinces in Northern Vietnam: Lao Cai, Bac Giang, and Quang Ninh. Samples were evaluated for presence of S. suis growth on blood agar plates and confirmed with conventional polymerase chain reaction. Results: The authors found that 4/174 (2.3%, 95% CI: 0.6–5.8%) of swine oral samples and 1/58 (1.7%, 95% CI: 0–9.2%) bioaerosol samples were positive for S. suis by bacterial culture and conventional PCR. S. suis was not detected in any swine worker nasal wash samples. There was no significant relationship between sampling location and month of sample collection with results of swine oral or bioaerosol samples. Conclusion: Compared to previous reports from slaughterhouses in Vietnam, the lower than expected prevalence of S. suis, supports the notion that that recent efforts to centralize Vietnam’s pork industry through establishment of large-scale farms with better biosecurity may have been effective in limiting S. suis prevalence on these large farms. © 2021 | adult; aerosol; agricultural worker; Article; bacterial growth; bacterial zoonosis; bacterium culture; bacterium detection; bacterium isolation; bioaerosol; controlled study; cross-sectional study; disease surveillance; female; food industry; geographic distribution; human; male; nonhuman; nose smear; One Health; oral swab; pig farming; polymerase chain reaction; pork industry; prevalence; slaughterhouse; Streptococcus suis; Viet Nam | Bioaerosol; Streptococcus suis; Swine; Swine farms; Swine workers |
| A Novel Multidrug Resistant, Non-Tn4401 Genetic Element-Bearing, Strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated From an Urban Lake With Drinking and Recreational Water Reuse | Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing and urgent issue for human health worldwide, as it leads to the reduction of available antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, in turn increasing hospital stays and lethality. Therefore, the study and genomic surveillance of bacterial carriers of resistance in and outside of clinical settings is of utter importance. A colony of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria identified as Klebsiella spp., by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing, has been isolated from an urban lake in Brazil, during a drug-degrading bacterial prospection. Genomic analyses revealed the bacteria as Klebsiella pneumoniae species. Furthermore, the in silico Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) identified the genome as a new sequence type, ST5236. The search for antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) detected the presence of genes against beta-lactams, fosfomycin, acriflavine and efflux pumps, as well as genes for heavy metal resistance. Of particular note, an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase gene (blaCTX-M-15) has been detected in close proximity to siphoviridae genes, while a carbapenemase gene (KPC-2) has been found in an extrachromosomal contig, within a novel non-Tn4401 genetic element (NTEKPC). An extrachromosomal contig found in the V3 isolate is identical to a contig of a K. pneumoniae isolate from a nearby hospital, which indicates a putative gene flow from the hospital network into Paranoá lake. The discovery of a MDR isolate in this lake is worrisome, as the region has recently undergone periods of water scarcity causing the lake, which receives treated wastewater effluent, and is already used for recreational purposes, to be used as an environmental buffer for drinking water reuse. Altogether, our results indicate an underrepresentation of environmental K. pneumoniae among available genomes, which may hamper the understanding of the population dynamics of the species in the environment and its consequences in the spread of ARGs and virulence genes. Copyright © 2021 Janssen, de Almeida, Damasceno, Baptista, Pappas, de Campos and Martins. | acriflavine; amikacin; amoxicillin; ampicillin; antibiotic agent; aztreonam; beta lactam; carbapenem; carbapenemase; cefepime; cefotaxime; ciprofloxacin; clindamycin; contig; DNA 16S; drinking water; ertapenem; extended spectrum beta lactamase; fosfomycin; genomic DNA; gentamicin; heavy metal; imipenem; lake water; levofloxacin; lomefloxacin; macrolide; meropenem; nitrofurantoin; norfloxacin; ofloxacin; piperacillin plus tazobactam; RNA 16S; teicoplanin; ticarcillin; tigecycline; tobramycin; vancomycin; virulence factor; Acinetobacter baumannii; amplicon; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterial infection; bacterial strain; bacterial virulence; bacterium carrier; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; biofilm; bioinformatics; Brazil; cell invasion; comparative genomics; controlled study; drinking; effluent; environmental health; fimbria; gene expression; gene overexpression; gene sequence; genetic identification; genetic screening; genome analysis; high throughput sequencing; hospitalization; Klebsiella pneumoniae; lethality; metagenomics; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; microbial community; microbial diversity; molecular genetics; molecular typing; multidrug resistance; multidrug resistant bacterium; multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae; multilocus sequence typing; nonhuman; One Health; phage therapy; phagocytosis; phenotype; phylogeny; plasmid; polymerase chain reaction; population dynamics; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; quality control; Sanger sequencing; sequence analysis; serotyping; Siphoviridae; site directed mutagenesis; spectrophotometry; Staphylococcus aureus; waste water recycling; water insecurity; whole genome sequencing | antimicrobial resistance; Klebsiella pneumoniae; MLST; one health; strain type; water scarcity |
| Integrative health services use for depression in middle-aged and older Australian women | Introduction: Globally, depressive disorders affect over 311 million people and women are more likely than men to suffer depression. However, no study has comprehensively described the diverse health services used for managing depression in middle-aged and older women. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was sent to 800 Australian women aged over 45-year reporting a diagnosis of depression, ( a sub-study of the 45 and Up Study) in 2016. The survey measured consultations with conventional, allied, and complementary health practitioners, and use of medications and complementary health products/practices for depression, and the associated out-of-pocket expenses. Results: Of the 361 (45.1%) participants returning a completed questionnaire, most women (72.2%) consulted at least one health practitioner, while 40.7% used at least one prescription medication and 51.8% used at least one form of complementary product or practice for depression in the previous 12 months. Women with more severe self-reported depression were more likely to consult with doctors and allied health practitioners, and use prescription medications and multiple complementary health products/practices. Combined integrative health out-of-pocket expenditure on depression management by the women in our study was $568.0 per annum, equating to approximately AU$367 million per annum for Australian women aged 50 years and over. Conclusion: Middle-aged and older Australian women were high users of integrative health services for the management of depression. Women with depression have an additional financial burden associated with their mental health services requiring consideration by primary health practitioners when recommending treatments for depression. © 2021 Elsevier GmbH | citalopram; desvenlafaxine; escitalopram; mirtazapine; moclobemide; sertraline; venlafaxine; aged; Article; Australian; comparative study; controlled study; cross-sectional study; depression; disease burden; disease severity; female; health care utilization; health practitioner; health survey; human; longitudinal study; major clinical study; One Health; physical activity; physician; private health insurance; questionnaire | Depression; Health care utilisation; Integrative medicine; Women’s health |
| Adequacy of alcohol-based handrub solution production practice in response to COVID-19 in public hospitals found in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a multicentered cross-sectional study | Background: Proper hand hygiene using alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) is an effective preventive approach for the current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and other infections. World Health Organization recommends local production of ABHR solution in healthcare settings which provides a feasible alternative to the use of relatively expensive commercially produced hand sanitizers. The aim of this study was to explore the adequacy of ABHR solution production practice in response to COVID-19 in public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was applied using assessment checklist for evaluation of the adequacy of ABHR production practice in compounding units of public hospitals. The evaluation was done with regard to the standard requirements as per the checklist. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive statistics was employed for analyses of data and categorical variables were described by frequencies and percentages. Results: Out of the 13 public hospitals observed in the study, 11 facilities had dedicated premises for compounding of ABHR solution. Seven facilities determined the concentration of ethanol in ABHR solution using alcoholmeters. Only one health facility had a titration kit and performed a strength test for the hydrogen peroxide raw material. Thermal and chemical disinfection processes were practiced for cleaning of recycled dispensing bottles only in 3 and 2 hospitals, respectively. Most of the hospitals (11 facilities) had standard operating procedures (SOPs) for production, but the majority lack SOPs for beyond-use-date assignment (11 facilities), premise and equipment cleaning (12 facilities), and disinfection of recycled bottles (12 facilities). Conclusion: Most hospitals have fulfilled the majority requirements of premises required for compounding of ABHR solution in their facilities. Five hospitals did not verify the concentration of ethanol in the ABHR solution which might affect the effectiveness of the product. Generally, lower compliance of the majority studied hospitals to good compounding practice was observed during ABHR solution production especially for product preparation, quality control, and documentation. © 2021, The Author(s). | alcohol; hydrogen peroxide; Article; clinical protocol; concentration (parameter); coronavirus disease 2019; cross-sectional study; data analysis; disinfection; Ethiopia; hand washing; human; infection control; observational study; One Health; public hospital; recycling; thermoregulation | ABHR; Compounding; COVID-19; Documentation; Hospitals; Quality |
| Twenty years of waterborne and related disease reports in Florida, USA | Florida represents a unique challenge for preventing and responding to infectious disease associated with water. This study cataloged the prevalence of reportable waterborne and water-related disease within Florida residents over the last twenty years and identified relationships between confirmed cases by location and additional risk factors. Data was collected through FLHealthCHARTS for confirmed cases between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2019. Case records were compiled and analyzed by year, county, pathogen name and disease category, patient age, and where the infection was acquired. During this time, 218,707 cases of water-related disease were recorded with 214,745 due to waterborne disease, 3255 cases of water-related vector-borne disease, and 707 cases caused by a water-based toxin. Children aged 0–4 and the elderly demonstrated a higher proportion of waterborne disease while 45–49 year olds had increased rates of water-based toxins and water-related vector-borne disease. Most cases were reported in the southeast region. Across the state, opportunities for water contact have led to high rates of water-related infectious disease. Public health initiatives and response efforts should target the pathogens of greatest impact for each region, largely zoonotic waterborne diseases, using a One Health approach. © 2021 The Authors | adolescent; adult; age distribution; Article; child; controlled study; disease surveillance; Florida; geographic distribution; human; incidence; infection risk; major clinical study; prevalence; public health; risk assessment; risk factor; vector borne disease; water borne disease; water contamination; zoonosis | One health; Vector-borne disease; Water toxins; Waterborne disease; Zoonoses |
| Demographic Attributes of Knowledge, Attitude, Practices, and One Health Perspective Regarding Diarrhea in Pakistan | Background: Loose bowels is a clinical sign of gastrointestinal transport channel proteins, channels, and physical and chemical boundaries being harmed, prompting issues of water and electrolyte transport in the intestinal system. It is still considered as a major reason for emergency visits to hospitals in low-middle income countries. Zinc is a suitable treatment along with ORS for diarrhea. KAP surveys are usually conducted to collect information about general or specific topics of a particular population. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude, practices (KAP), and one health perspective regarding diarrhea among the participants from urban and rural populations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Methods: Data was collected by conducting a survey among residents of twin cities over a period of 6 months (from July 2020 to December 2020). The questionnaire compromised socio-demographic features and the degree of KAP with respect to diarrhea management and control. One way ANOVA tests were applied to observe the demographic relationship and various factors influencing knowledge, attitude, practices, and one health perspective about diarrhea. Results: A total of 338 subjects participated in the study. Female subjects were in the majority with 63% while the rest were male. A majority of the participants were between 15–25 years of age and 79.6% participants were un-married. The leading ethnic group was Punjabi with 52.7%; the lowest ethnic group were of Sindhi ethnicity with 8.6%. Age has a significant association with respect to knowledge and attitude. Religion has a significant association with respect to knowledge, practices, and one health, while education/qualification has an association with knowledge. The rest of the variables found no association with each other. Conclusion: It is concluded from the recent study that most residents of the twin cities of Pakistan knew about diarrhea and had a good attitude and practices toward it. Age, religion, and education have different roles regarding different diseases in the population of Pakistan. The current study has its limitations as well. Parts of the study were conducted in the capital of Pakistan which is more developed as compared to other areas of Pakistan. It would be better to explore the remote areas of Pakistan where basic amenities of life such as education, wealth, and unemployment are not available. It is important to create more awareness among community members. They should be aware how dangerous these viruses and bacteria can be. Other parts of Pakistan should also be explored for better understanding that will help in making a nationwide health policy. Copyright © 2021 Abbasi, Shahzad, Shabbir, Afzal, Zahid, Zahid, Ahmed and Cao. | Aged; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diarrhea; Ethnicity; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; One Health; Pakistan; aged; attitude to health; cross-sectional study; diarrhea; epidemiology; ethnicity; female; human; male; One Health; Pakistan | attitude; bacteria; knowledge; pathogens and diarrhea; practices; viruses |
| Seroprevalence and associated risk factors for vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Egypt | Background: Dogs play an important role as reservoirs of many zoonotic vector-borne pathogens worldwide, yet reports of canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) in Egypt are scarce. Methods: Serum samples were collected from pet dogs (n = 500) of the three most common breeds (German Shepherd, Rottweiler and Pit Bull) in five Governates of Cairo (n = 230), Giza (n = 110), Al-Qalyubia (n = 60), Al-Gharbia (n = 60) and Kafr El-Sheikh (n = 40) with a hot desert climate. The presence of antibodies to Anaplasma spp. (A. phagocytophilum, A. platys), Ehrlichia spp. (E. canis, E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii), Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and Dirofilaria immitis were assessed using IDEXX SNAP® 4Dx® ELISA tests. For each pathogen, risk factors (i.e. geographical area, keeping condition, sex, age, breed, tick infestation, weekly sanitation of dog enclosures and application of ectoparasiticides) were evaluated by logistic regression approach. Results: In total, 18.2% (n = 91, 95% CI 15.1–21.8) of dogs scored seropositive for at least one pathogen, the most frequent being Ehrlichia spp. (n = 56; 11.2%; 95% CI 8.7–14.3) followed by Anaplasma spp. (n = 33; 6.6%, 95% CI 4.7–9.1), Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) (n = 9; 1.8%, 95% CI 0.9–3.4) and D. immitis (n = 7; 1.4%, 95% CI 0.9–2.9). In the tested population, 15.4% (95% CI 12.5–18.8) of dogs were exposed to a single pathogen while 2.4 (95% CI 1.4–4.2) and 0.4% (95% CI 0.1–1.4) were simultaneously exposed to two or three pathogens, respectively. Major risk factors associated with VBDs were living outdoors (Anaplasma spp., P = 0.0001; Ehrlichia spp., P = 0.0001), female sex (Ehrlichia spp., P = 0.005), German Shepherd breed (Anaplasma spp., P = 0.04; Ehrlichia spp., P = 0.03), tick infestation (Anaplasma spp., P = 0.0001; Ehrlichia spp., P = 0.0001; B. burgdorferi (s.l.), P = 0.003; D. immitis, P = 0.02), irregular sanitation (Anaplasma spp., P = 0.0001; Ehrlichia spp., P = 0.0001; B. burgdorferi (s.l.), P = 0.002; D. immitis, P = 0.01) and not using ectoparasiticides (Anaplasma spp., P = 0.0001; Ehrlichia spp., P = 0.0001; B. burgdorferi (s.l.), P = 0.007). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale seroepidemiological study of CVBDs in Egypt. Considering that all of the detected pathogens are potentially zoonotic, effective ectoparasite control strategies, regular examination of pet dogs and successful chemoprophylaxis are advocated. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2021, The Author(s). | Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antibodies, Helminth; Bacteria; Disease Vectors; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Egypt; Female; Male; Parasites; Pets; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; bacterium antibody; helminth antibody; Anaplasma; Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Anaplasma platys; Article; blood analysis; Borrelia burgdorferi; canine ehrlichiosis; control strategy; desert climate; Dirofilaria immitis; dirofilariasis; dog breed; ectoparasite; Egypt; Ehrlichia; Ehrlichia canis; Ehrlichia chaffeensis; Ehrlichia ewingii; environmental sanitation; female; geographic distribution; German shepherd; Lyme disease; male; nonhuman; risk factor; rottweiler; seroprevalence; sex difference; tick infestation; vector borne disease; animal; bacterium; blood; classification; disease carrier; dog; dog disease; genetics; immunology; microbiology; parasite; parasitology; pathogenicity; pet animal; seroepidemiology | Anaplasma; Borrelia; Canine vector-borne pathogens; Dirofilaria; Egypt; Ehrlichia; One-health; Zoonosis |
| Detection of IncN-pST15 one-health plasmid harbouring blaKPC-2 in a hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae CG258 isolated from an infected dog, Brazil | The emergence and rapid spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales represents a serious public health concern. Critically, these global priority bacteria have begun to be reported in companion animals, implying a potential risk of cross-transmission between humans and pets. Using long-read (MinION) and short-read (Illumina) sequencing technologies, we have identified and characterized a hypermucoviscous KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strain belonging to the high-risk international clone ST11/CG258, in a dog with urinary tract infection. Strikingly, the blaKPC-2 gene was carried by a 54-kb IncN plasmid assignated to ST15, which shared 99.8 and 96.8% pairwise identity with IncN-pST15 plasmids from human and environmental K. pneumoniae strains, respectively; all come from an area with high endemicity of KPC-2. Our findings suggest that IncN-pST15 plasmids conferring carbapenem resistance can play as important a role as clonal transmission of K. pneumoniae, representing another major challenge for One Health. © 2021 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases published by Wiley-VCH GmbH. | amikacin; amoxicillin; ampicillin; antibiotic agent; aztreonam; cefepime; cefotaxime; cefoxitin; ceftazidime; ceftriaxone; chloramphenicol; ciprofloxacin; colistin; enrofloxacin; ertapenem; erythromycin; extended spectrum beta lactamase; fosfomycin; gentamicin; imipenem; levofloxacin; macrolide; meropenem; nalidixic acid; piperacillin plus tazobactam; tetracycline; tigecycline; animal experiment; animal model; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; Article; bacterial gene; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; carbapenem resistance; carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae; controlled study; dog; endemic disease; gene sequence; genotype; illumina sequencing; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Klebsiella pneumoniae infection; minimum inhibitory concentration; molecular epidemiology; multilocus sequence typing; multiplex polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; phenotype; phylogeny; plasmid; serotyping; whole genome sequencing | carbapenemase; global priority pathogens; one health; pets; plasmidome |
| Tuberculosis patients at the human-animal interface: Potential zooanthroponotic and zoonotic transmission | Background: Human-to-animal transmission of M. tuberculosis (Mtb) is reported in South Africa but there is a paucity of epidemiological data. The aim of this One Health manuscript is to describe zooanthroponotic exposure of domestic animals to TB patients, virtually all of whom had laboratory confirmed pulmonary Mtb disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study was nested within two TB contact tracing studies and collected data from 2017 to 2019. TB index patients and their households in three provinces of South Africa were recruited. A questionnaire was administered to households, assessing type and number of animals owned, degree of exposure of animals to humans, and veterinary consultations. For this analysis, we compared descriptive variables by animal-keeping status (animal-keeping vs non-animal keeping households), calculated the chi square and respective p-values. Results: We visited 1766 households with at least one confirmed case of TB, 33% (587/1766) had livestock or companion animals. Of non-animal-owning households, 2% (27/1161) cared for other community members’ livestock. Few (16%, 92/587) households kept animals in their dwelling overnight, while 45% (266/587) kept animals outside the home, but within 10 m of where people slept and ate. Most (81%, 478/587) of people in animal-owning households were willing for their animal/s to have a TB skin test, but <1% (5/587) of animals had been skin-tested; 4% (24/587) of animal-owning households had a veterinary consultation in the past six months, and 5% (31/587) reported one of their animals dying from natural causes in the prior six months. Conclusion: Our survey suggests that a high proportion of patients with TB live in settings facilitating close contact with domestic animal species with known susceptibility to Mtb. There is a substantial exposure of household animals to patients with TB and therefore risk of both transmission to, and spillback from animals to humans. © 2021 The Author(s) | adult; Article; bovine; cat; chi square test; consultation; contact examination; controlled study; cross-sectional study; descriptive research; disease transmission; dog; donkey; follow up; goat; horse; household; human; Leporidae; livestock; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nonhuman; pig; population research; questionnaire; rural area; sheep; South Africa; tuberculosis; urban area | Companion animals; Households; Livestock; M. tuberculosis; One Health; Zooanthroponotic transmission |
| Antibiotic stewardship program in Pakistan: a multicenter qualitative study exploring medical doctors’ knowledge, perception and practices | Background: The emerging threat of antibiotic resistance is growing exponentially and antibiotic stewardship programs are cornerstone to fight against this global threat. The study aimed to explore the knowledge, perspectives and practices of physicians regarding various aspects of antibiotic stewardship program including antibiotic stewardship activities, rational use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, prescribing practices and factors associated with these practices. Methods: In this qualitative study, a total of 17 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with doctors of three tertiary care public sector hospitals in Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan were conducted. The convenient sampling method was adopted to collect the data and the saturation point criterion was applied to determine the sample size. Thematic analysis approach was used to draw conclusions from the data. Results: The analysis of data yielded five themes, 12 subthemes and 26 categories. The themes included, (i) perception about antibiotic use and antibiotic stewardship, (ii) antibiotic prescription practices, (iii) antibiotic resistance, (iv) limited strategies adopted by hospital administration to ensure quality and safe distribution of antibiotics, (v) implementation of antibiotic stewardship program: barriers, suggestion and future benefits. Doctors had misconceptions about the rational use of antibiotics. The perception regarding antibiotic stewardship programs was poor. Moreover, very few activities related to ASP existed. The participants gave many suggestions for successful implementation of ASP in order to reduce the burden of antibiotic resistance, including development of guidelines for the use of antibiotics, strict legislation regarding use of antibiotics, active participation of healthcare professionals and awareness program among general public about the use of antibiotics. Conclusion: This study concluded that poor knowledge of doctors regarding ASP, non-existence of antibiogram of hospital and lack of rules for the safe use of antibiotics were the main driving factors associated with irrational antibiotic prescription practices and development of AR. © 2021, The Author(s). | Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Attitude of Health Personnel; Drug Prescriptions; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Pakistan; Perception; Physicians; Qualitative Research; antibiotic agent; prescription drug; antiinfective agent; adult; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic therapy; antimicrobial stewardship; Article; awareness; bacterial infection; clinical practice; controlled study; drug quality; female; health care personnel; health program; hospital admission; human; legal aspect; male; Pakistan; patient safety; physician attitude; practice guideline; prescription; qualitative research; risk benefit analysis; sample size; sampling; semi structured interview; tertiary health care; thematic analysis; antibiotic resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; attitude to health; clinical trial; health personnel attitude; multicenter study; Pakistan; perception; physician; procedures; psychology | Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotic stewardship; One health; Rational use |
| COVID-19 lessons for climate change and sustainable health | The drivers underpinning the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and climate change attest to the fact that we are now living in the Anthropocene Epoch, with human activities significantly impacting and altering the global ecosystem. Here, we explore the historical context of zoonoses, the effect of anthropogenic climate change and interrelated drivers on the emergence of, and response to emerging infectious diseases. We call attention to an urgent need for inculcating a One Health research agenda that acknowledges the primary interconnection between animals, humans, pathogens, and their collective milieus to foster long term resilience across all systems within our shared planetary environment. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Diseases; SARS; Anthropocene; Anthropogenic climate changes; Antimicrobial resistances; COVID-19; Emerging infectious disease; Health research; Human activities; Non-communicable disease; One health; Sustainable healths; Climate change | Anthropocene; Antimicrobial resistance; Climate change; COVID-19; Emerging infectious diseases; Non-communicable diseases; One health |
| Hybridized zoonotic schistosoma infections result in hybridized morbidity profiles: A clinical morbidity study amongst co-infected human populations of Senegal | Hybridization of infectious agents is a major emerging public and veterinary health concern at the interface of evolution, epidemiology, and control. Whilst evidence of the extent of hybridization amongst parasites is increasing, their impact on morbidity remains largely unknown. This may be predicted to be particularly pertinent where parasites of animals with contrasting pathogenicity viably hybridize with human parasites. Recent research has revealed that viable zoonotic hybrids between human urogenital Schistosoma haematobium with intestinal Schistosoma species of livestock, notably Schistosoma bovis, can be highly prevalent across Africa and beyond. Examining human populations in Senegal, we found increased hepatic but decreased urogenital morbidity, and reduced improvement following treatment with praziquantel, in those infected with zoonotic hybrids compared to non-hybrids. Our results have implications for effective monitoring and evaluation of control programmes, and demonstrate for the first time the potential impact of parasite hybridizations on host morbidity. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | Disease control; Hybridization; Morbidity; One health; Schistosomiasis; Ultrasonography |
| Agro-environmental determinants of leptospirosis: A retrospective spatiotemporal analysis (2004–2014) in Mahasarakham Province (Thailand) | Leptospirosis has been recognized as a major public health concern in Thailand following dramatic outbreaks. We analyzed human leptospirosis incidence between 2004 and 2014 in Mahasarakham province, Northeastern Thailand, in order to identify the agronomical and environmental factors likely to explain incidence at the level of 133 sub-districts and 1982 villages of the province. We performed general additive modeling (GAM) in order to take the spatial-temporal epidemiological dynamics into account. The results of GAM analyses showed that the average slope, population size, pig density, cow density and flood cover were significantly associated with leptospirosis occurrence in a district. Our results stress the importance of livestock favoring lep-tospirosis transmission to humans and suggest that prevention and control of leptospirosis need strong intersectoral collaboration between the public health, the livestock department and local communities. More specifically, such collaboration should integrate leptospirosis surveillance in both public and animal health for a better control of diseases in livestock while promoting public health prevention as encouraged by the One Health approach. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | General additive modeling; Leptospirosis; Livestock; One Health; Public health; Spatiotemporal analysis; Thailand |
| Antimicrobial use, residue and resistance dissemination in freshwater fish farms of north-central Nigeria: One health implications | A structured questionnaire was administered to 151 purposively selected fish farmers to assess their practices and perceptions on antimicrobial usage (AMU) in fresh water fish farms in North-central Nigeria. Risk pathways for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spread, risk status and drivers for misuse and overuse of antimicrobials were also assessed and residue presence in fish and pond water samples determined. Descriptive and analytic statistical analyses were performed at 95% confidence level. AMU risk status was assessed with Traffic Light model. Disc diffusion test was used to detect residues. All 151 recruited farmers participated but only 78.1% of them used antimicrobials in fish production. About 94% farmers practiced self-prescription of antimicrobials, and 94.9% did not observe withdrawal periods after AMU. AMR risk pathways were consumption (p=0.010), contacts (p=0.004), and environment (p=0.002). Socio-cultural drivers of antimicrobial misuse, overuse and resistance emergence in fish farms were inappropriate AMU (p=0.002), poor biosecurity (p=0.001), poor sanitation (p=0.001), poor economic status of farmers (p=0.002), and intensive management system (p=0.001). Majority (73.5%) of farms were in Class 3 (Red risk) status. Residues were detected in fish and water samples from 44.4% of the farms. The study revealed poor practices and perceptions on AMU. AMU stewardship should be promoted through farmers’ education. To achieve food safety, food security, public and environmental health, socio-cultural drivers for misuse and overuse in farms should be mitigated through surveillance and control programmes using the concept of ‘One Health’ approach. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd | Antimicrobial residues; Antimicrobial resistance; Antimicrobial use; Fish farms; One, health; Risk status |
| Cross-sectional study on Brucella spp., Leptospira spp. and Salmonella spp. in bats from Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil | The understanding on the role of bats in the ecology of zoonotic diseases, especially its relevance as a carrier of pathogens, is important for the determination of preventive measures considering the One Health context. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of Brucella spp., Leptospira spp. and Salmonella spp. in blood (n = 163), liver (n = 35) and spleen (n = 62) samples from bats captured in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Only Salmonella spp. was found in a blood sample of an insectivorous female bat of the species Lasiurus blossevilli, evidencing the capacity of this animal species to host this pathogen. In conclusion, our results in bats from Montes Claros indicate that they do not act as hosts for Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp., although being potential carriers of Salmonella spp. in a low prevalence. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Brazil; Brucella; Chiroptera; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Leptospira; Salmonella; animal; bat; Brazil; Brucella; cross-sectional study; epidemiology; female; Leptospira; Salmonella | Brucella spp.; Leptospira spp.; One health; PCR; Salmonellaspp.; Zoonotic diseases |
| Multiresistant zoonotic pathogens isolated from goat milk in Northeastern Brazil | Dairy goats play a significant role in socio-economic, cultural, and nutritional development in many countries. This study aimed to identify multiresistant zoonotic pathogens causing mastitis in goats, in addition to characterizing them for the presence of resistance genes and phenotypic resistance. A total of 714 milk samples from 357 lactating goats in 12 farms in the Northeast region of Brazil were analyzed. The isolates were submitted to Matrix Associated Laser Desorption-Ionization – Time of Flight to identify bacterial species, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to search for resistance genes, and an antibiogram to evaluate the phenotypic profile of antimicrobial resistance. A total of 214 pathogens were identified and bacterial prevalence was 83.29 % (178/214) Staphylococcus spp.; 6.50 % (14/214) Micrococcus luteus; 3.73 % (8/214) Corynebacterium spp.; 2.80 % (6/214) Bacillus spp.; 1.38 % (3/214) Escherichia coli; 0.92 % (2/214) Enterobacter cloacae; 0.46 % (1/214) Aerococcus viridans; 0.46 % (1/214) Morganella morganii; and 0.46 % (1/214) Turicella otitidis. As for gene frequency, 64.60 % (115/178) of the isolates carried the blaZ gene; 37.07 % (66/178) norA; 22.47 % (40/178) tet(L); 16.85 % (30/178) tet(M); 14.04 % (25/178) norB; 8.42 % (15/178) vanA; 7.30 % (13/178) msrA; 6.41 % (5/178) tet-38; 4.49 % (8/178) norC; 2.25 % (4/178) mecA; and 0.56 % (1/178) vanB. Emerging multiresistant zoonotic pathogens are present in the goat milk production chain, especially the coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species that pose a risk to human and animal health. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd | Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Brazil; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Female; Goat Diseases; Goats; Lactation; Mastitis, Bovine; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Milk; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus; antiinfective agent; Aerococcus viridans; animal experiment; animal model; antibiotic resistance; Article; Bacillus; bacterial gene; bacterium identification; bacterium isolate; bacterium isolation; coagulase negative Staphylococcus; controlled study; Corynebacterium; DNA extraction; Enterobacter cloacae; Escherichia coli; female; gene frequency; goat milk; major clinical study; matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry; Micrococcus luteus; Morganella morganii; multidrug resistant bacterium; nonhuman; phenotype; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; Staphylococcus; zone of inhibition; zoonosis; animal; bovine; bovine mastitis; Brazil; cattle disease; goat; goat disease; lactation; microbial sensitivity test; milk; Staphylococcus infection; veterinary medicine | Goat milk; MALDI-TOF; Multidrug resistance; One health; Zoonoses |
| Is it human or animal? The origin of pathogenic e. coli in the drinking water of a low-income urban community in bangladesh | This study aimed to investigate the origin of diverse pathotypes of E. coli, isolated from communal water sources and from the actual drinking water vessel at the point-of-drinking inside households in a low-income urban community in Arichpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty-six percent (57/125, CI 95%: 41−58) of the isolates in the point-of-drinking water and 53% (55/103, CI 95%: 45−64) of the isolates in the source water were diarrheagenic E. coli. Among the pathotypes, enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) was the most common, 81% (46/57) of ETEC was found in the point-of-drinking water and 87% (48/55) was found in the communal source water. Phylogenetic group B1, which is predominant in animals, was the most frequently found isolate in both the point-of-drinking water (50%, 91/181) and in the source (50%, 89/180) water. The phylogenetic subgroup B23, usually of human origin, was more common in the point-of-drinking water (65%, 13/20) than in the source water (35%, 7/20). Our findings suggest that non-human mammals and birds played a vital role in fecal contamination for both the source and point-of-drinking water. Addressing human sanitation without a consideration of fecal contamination from livestock sources will not be enough to prevent drinking-water contamination and thus will persist as a greater contributor to diarrheal pathogens. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. | drinking water; Article; bacterial virulence; bacterium isolate; Bangladesh; bird; commensal Escherichia coli; diarrheagenic Escherichia coli; enteroaggregative Escherichia coli; enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; enteroinvasive Escherichia coli; enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli; household; human; lowest income group; mammal; multiplex polymerase chain reaction; nonhuman; pathogenic Escherichia coli; pathotype; phylogeny; urban population; water contamination; water supply | Diarrhea; Drinking water; Escherichia coli pathotypes; ETEC; One health; Phylogenetic |
